
Class GlSLSAL 



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9 1 



VITALITY SUPREME 




Bernarr Macfadden at thirty=two years of age. 
graph 1900. 



Photo= 




A recent photograph of Bernarr Macfadden, after thirty 
years of physical culture. Compared with the photograph 
on the opposite page it shows that at forty=seven the au= 
thor of this book is in as perfect physical condition as in 
his early thirties. 



VITALITY 
SUPREME 



BY 



BERNARR MACFADDEN 

Author of "Macfadden's Encyclopedia of Physical Cul- 
ture," "Manhood and Marriage," "How to Develop 
Muscular Power and Beauty,'" "The Building of 
Vital Power" and Other Works on Health and Sex 



" 



NEW YORK CITY 

PHYSICAL CULTURE PUBLISHING CO. 

FLATIRON BUILDING 






Copyright 1915 bt 

BERNARR MACFADDEN 

New York City 



PREFACE 

The war cry of to-day in peace no less than in 
war is for efficiency. We need stronger, more 
capable men ; healthier, superior women. Force 
is supreme — the king of all mankind. And it is 
force that stands back of efficiency, for efficiency, 
first of all, means power. It comes from power, 
and power either comes directly from inheritance 
or it is developed by an intelligent application of 
the laws that control the culture of the physique. 
The value of efficiency is everywhere recognized. 
The great prizes of life come only to those who 
are efficient. Those who desire capacities of this 
sort must recognize the importance of a strong, 
enduring physique. The body must be devel- 
oped completely, splendidly. The buoyancy, 
vivacity, energy, enthusiasm and ambition or- 
dinarily associated with youth can be maintained 
through middle age and in some cases even to old 
age. If your efforts are to be crowned with the 
halo of success, they must be spurred on by the 
pulsating throbbing powers that accompany 
physical excellence. These truly extraordinary 
characteristics come without effort to but few of 
us, but they can be developed, attained and main- 
tained. 

Why not throb with superior vitality! Why 
not possess the physical energy of a young lion? 
For then you will compel success. You will 
stand like a wall if need be, or rush with the force 



xii PREFACE 

of a charging bison towards the desired achieve- 
ments. This book sends forth a message of para- 
mount importance to those who need added ef- 
ficiency. Adherence to the principles laid down 
herein will add to the characteristics that insure 
splendid achievements. They will increase the 
power of your body and mind and soul. They 
will help each human entity to become a live per- 
sonality. They will enable you to live fully, joy- 
ously. They will help you to feel, enjoy, suffer, 
every moment of each day. It is only when you 
are thus thrilled with the eternal force of life that 
you reach the highest pinnacle of attainable 
capacities and powers. Hidden forces, some- 
times marvellous and mysterious, lie within nearly 
every human soul. Develop, expand and bring 
out these latent powers. Make your body splen- 
did, your mind supreme; for then you become 
your real self, you possess all your attainable 
powers. And men thus developed possess a 
capital that can not be financially measured. It 
is worth infinitely more than money. Within 
the page's of this volume the pathway leading to 
these gratifying rewards is clearly described. 
Adhere to the principles set forth and a munifi- 
cent harvest of physical, mental and spiritual at- 
tainments will surely be yours. 



(x&L 



Zp&tsn.aA'V'' 




CONTENTS 

CHAPTER PAGE 

Preface xi 

I Vitality — What Is It? 1 

II Functional Activity — The Secret of 

Power 8 

III The Proper Bodily Posture . . . . 16 

IV Stimulating the Source of Stamina and 

Vitality . . . 27 

V Straightening and Strengthening the 

Spine . . 45 

VI Cleansing and Stimulating the Alimen- 
tary Canal 61 

VII Exercise for Vitality Building . . .81 

VIII How to Breathe 93 

IX Outdoor Life 99 

X Strengthening the Stomach . . . .110 
XI Preserving the Teeth . . . : . .114 

XII How to Eat 124 

XIII What to Eat 134 

XIV Foods in the Cure of Constipation . .150 
XV Pressure Movements for Building Inner 

Strength 162 

XVI Blood Purification . 179 

xiii 



XIV 



CONTENTS 



CHAPTER PAGE 

XVII Hints on Bathing 196 

XVIII Some Facts About Clothing .... 205 

XIX Suggestions About Sleep 216 

XX Mind — the Master-Force for Health or 

Disease 234 

XXI The Laugh Cure 243 

XXII Singing — The Great Tonic 251 

XXIII The Daily Regimen 257 



VITALITY SUPREME 

CHAPTER I 

Vitality — What is it? 

VITALITY first of all means endurance 
and the ability to live long. It naturally 
indicates functional and organic vigor. 
You cannot be vital unless the organs of the body 
are possessed of at least a normal degree of 
strength and are performing their functions har- 
moniously and satisfactorily. To be vital means 
that you are full of vim and energy, that you 
possess that enviable characteristic known as 
vivacity. It means that you are vibrating, pul- 
sating with life in all its most attractive forms. 
For life, energy, vitality — call it what you wish 
— in all its normal manifestations, will always be 
found attractive. 

A vital man is at all times thoroughly alive. 
The forces of life seem to imbue every part of 
his organism with energy, activity and all charac- 
teristics opposed to things inanimate. A vital 
man is naturally enthusiastic. He can hardly 
avoid being ambitious. And consequently sue- 



VITALITY SUPREME 

cess, with all its splendid rewards, comes to such 
a man in abundance. Life to such a man should 
be resplendent with worthy achievements. 

No one belittles the importance of success. 
Everyone is guided to a large extent by the desire 
to succeed. When a child toddles off to school 
the training which he secures there is given for 
the single purpose of bringing success, but this 
goal cannot possibly be reached without throb- 
bing vitality. In fact, you are not yourself in 
every sense unless you possess vitality of this sort. 
The emotions and instincts that come to one when 
thoroughly developed, with the vital forces surg- 
ing within, are decidedly different from those 
which influence one when lacking in stamina. 
Many who have grown beyond adult age are still 
undeveloped, so far as physical condition and 
vigor is concerned, and this lack of physical de- 
velopment or vitality means immaturity — incom- 
pleteness. It means that one is short on man- 
hood or womanhood. This statement, that one's 
personality, under such circumstances, is not com- 
pletely brought out, may seem strange to some; 
but careful reasoning will soon verify its ac- 
curacy. Success of the right sort, therefore, de- 
pends first of all upon intelligent efforts that 
are guided day after day, with a view, first of 
all, of developing the physical organism to the 
highest possible standard, and maintaining it 
there. 

In other words, it is our first duty to be men, 



VITALITY — WHAT IS IT? 

strong and splendid, or women, healthy and 
perfect, if we are desirous of securing life's most 
gratifying prizes. Many actually go through life 
only half alive. They are, to a certain extent, 
doped by their physical deficiencies. They have 
been handicapped by a lack of the energy that 
comes with physical development. They need 
to be stirred by the regular use of the physical 
powers of the body. When the body is complete 
in all of its various parts it is truly a marvelous 
organism. Throbbing vitality stirs the imagina- 
tion, gives one courage and capacity, thrills one 
with the possibilities of life, fires the ambitions. 
The efforts involved in one's daily duties, be they 
ever so important, then become mere play. To 
such a man inactivity is impossible. Every day 
must be filled with active, interesting duties, and 
progress in such cases is inevitable. Such a 
man grows, he improves, he ascends. He be- 
comes a positive dominating force in the world. 
Can pulsating, vibrating, vitality of this kind 
be developed? Can one who lacks enthusiasm 
and organic vigor obtain these valuable forces? 
If you have failed up to the present to become a 
complete man, or a splendid woman, can you 
achieve these extraordinary rewards in the future ? 
You can rest assured that if the necessary efforts 
are made a revolution can be wrought in your 
physical and mental powers. You, too, can feel 
these throbbing vital forces stirring your every 
nerve, thrilling your very soul. Go to work, in 

3 



VITALITY SUPREME 

an intelligent manner, realizing that fundamen- 
tally the attainment of these great rewards comes 
from the development of the highest degree of 
physical excellence. You must have strength of 
body. You cannot have too much strength. 
The more nearly you feel like a strong man the 
more you can achieve in the desired direction. 
All successful men are, and have been, men of 
tremendous energy. Their achievements have 
been simply the expression of the vitality and 
nerve force which can no more be repressed than 
the power of an engine when it has been once 
liberated. Success is due to the dynamic quality 
of energy. It is true that physical energy and 
bodily strength are not sufficient for success in 
all fields. One must have aptitude for his chosen 
work. Your energy must be directed in the 
proper channels, but without this energy and 
vitality you can accomplish virtually nothing. 

Take the one particular characteristic known 
as vivacity. How we envy those who possess in 
abundance this great gift! ~No matter how ir- 
regular one's features may be, even though they 
repel, if a smile shows vivacity associated with 
a keen, intelligent personality, one cannot be 
otherwise than attractive. John Bunny, with 
features rough, unchiseled, ugly, almost un- 
couth, yet possessed a personality that spread its 
contagious good humor to millions of people in 
all quarters of the world who mourned his recent 
death as that of a personal acquaintance. On 



VITALITY — WHAT IS IT? 

the other hand, even though a man or woman 
possess regular features, the lack of animated 
expression, of vivacity, causes the person to be 
regarded as "cold" and "repellent." Speaking 
in the vernacular, it puts you in the class of the 
"dead ones." One may say that magnetism and 
all the desirable qualities that draw others to us 
are closely associated with the supreme develop- 
ment of the forces of life. No vivacity, then no 
personality. 

The average individual goes through life with- 
out living. In other words, he scarcely exists. 
He has never felt the throbbing exultation of a 
keen joyous moment. Nor on the other hand 
has he ever suffered the tortures that are sup- 
posed to be associated with the damned, for we 
must remember that the power to enjoy carries 
with it a corresponding power to suffer. But 
we should also remember that the possession of 
these extremes, the ability to enjoy or to suffer, 
indicates the attainment of what might be termed 
the most complete human development. If we 
wish to find a perfect picture of the phlegmatic 
temperament, we can study a pig to advantage. 
And yet there are many human beings incapable 
of manifesting life-forces equal to those of this 
humble animal. 

But why not be alive, vital, vivacious? Why 
not be alert, keen, energetic, enthusiastic, ambi- 
tious, bubbling over with fiery ardor? The pos- 
wssion of these pulsating, vibratory forces proves 



VITALITY SUPREME 

that one's physical development has closely ap- 
proached to perfection. To such vital individ- 
uals life opens up opportunities that are almost 
countless. 

But those who have never lived in this "world" 
of fiery ambitions and throbbing powers, who 
have never been stirred by the keen, satisfying 
joys that go with these extraordinary, vital 
qualities, may ask if these invaluable powers can 
be developed. Are these stirring, vital forces the 
possession of favored classes only, or may they 
be obtained by anyone and everyone? In other 
words, can they be cultivated or developed ? My 
reply, in nearly all cases, would be in the affirma- 
tive. There may be exceptions. There is a 
limit to the development of the physical force, 
but health is attainable by the majority. So long 
as there is life you should be possessed of suffi- 
cient vitality to attain a normal degree of health. 
It really takes more power to run a defective 
machine than it does to operate one in which all 
parts are working in. harmony, and the same can 
be said of the body and its parts or organs. 
Therefore, if you have vitality enough to con- 
tinue to live even though diseased, rest assured 
that you have enough to acquire health if you 
conform to Nature's enactments. And this kind 
of health usually brings a physical and mental 
exaltation that is truly beyond description. 

It is my purpose in these pages to help the 
reader to solve the problems associated with the 



VITALITY — WHAT IS IT? 

attainment of vitality and health at its best. By 
following out the suggestions which you will find 
in this volume, by stimulating the life-forces in 
connection with the thyroid gland, by straighten- 
ing and strengthening the spine, by toning up the 
alimentary canal, and by adopting other sugges- 
tions set forth in these pages, you should be in- 
sured the attainment of vital vigor really beyond 
price. Do not be satisfied with an existence. 
If life is worth anything, it is worth living in 
every sense of the word. The building up of 
one's physical assets should be recognized as an 
imperative duty. 



CHAPTER II 

Functional Activity — The Secret of Power 

VITALITY means normal functioning. 
When the organs of the body are all 
performing their duties satisfactorily, you 
can practically be sure of a plentiful supply of 
vitality. So it can truly be said that proper 
functioning is the secret of power. 

The most important of all functional processes 
begins in the stomach. There is where the blood- 
making process commences, and, since a man is 
what the blood makes of him, you can realize the 
tremendous importance of this particular func- 
tion. If the digestion is carried on properly, and 
the blood is made rich in those elements that add 
to life, health and strength, then the functions of 
the stomach are being properly performed. 
Strength of this organ, therefore, is absolutely 
indispensable in vitality building. 

This blood-making work is then continued by 
the small intestines, where a large part of the 
elements of nourishment essential to life are as- 
similated, taken up and carried to the portal cir- 
culation, thence to the lungs and heart, and 
finally throughout the entire body. It is ab- 



FUNCTIONAL ACTIVITY 

solutely impossible for one to enjoy the posses- 
sion of a high degree of vitality, or of the general 
good health upon which vitality depends, unless 
the intestinal tract is in a healthy and vigorous 
condition, so that the functions of this particular 
part of the body-machine may be performed 
without a flaw. The entire digestive system 
may be compared to a boiler supplying the en- 
ergy by which the engine does its work. 

Then consider the heart itself. One cannot 
underestimate the functional importance of this 
organ. It is commonly regarded as the most 
vital spot in the body, the very center of life — 
indeed the poets have made it the seat of love 
and the emotions in general. If anything, the 
brain and nervous system should be regarded as 
the real center of life, but the function of the 
heart, the marvelous muscle-pump, is so vital and 
indispensable that the world is accustomed to 
thinking of it as the organ of first importance. 
And so it is. Should it cease its efforts for a 
few moments even, life becomes extinct, and you 
are no longer an animate being. A strong heart, 
therefore, is if anything even more important 
than a strong stomach. But you must remember 
that the strength of the heart to a large extent 
depends upon the cooperation of a strong stom- 
ach, or at least upon the proper digestion of 
food. For the muscles and tissues of the heart, 
like those of all other organs of the body, are fed 
by the blood, which depends for its life-giving 



VITALITY SUPREME 

and life-sustaining qualities upon the food, which 
is first acted upon by the stomach and thus made 
available for use by the cell structures in all parts 
of the body. The heart is truly a wonderful 
organ, the one set of muscles which apparently 
never rest, but work on night and day, year after 
year, throughout our entire life. 

Furthermore, the part played by the lungs in 
the maintenance of life and health cannot be 
underestimated. Impaired functioning of the 
lungs has an immediate and vital effect upon 
every other part of the body. It is through this 
channel that we secure the oxygen, without which 
the processes of life would terminate almost in- 
stantaneously. It is through this channel also 
that the elimination of carbonic acid gas is accom- 
plished. Without the continuous and thorough 
elimination of carbonic acid our tissues would 
become choked up and poisoned in such a way 
that all cell activity and bodily function would 
come to an abrupt end. If the lungs are sound 
and healthy in every respect the supply of oxygen 
is abundant, and the elimination of carbonic acid, 
which may be regarded as the "smoke" of the 
human system, is carried on perfectly. Breath- 
ing is only one of the various functions that must 
be continuously carried on, but it is of such im- 
portance as to require special attention in build- 
ing vitality. 

In the work of eliminating impurities and keep- 
ing the system clean the kidneys are to be classed 

10 



FUNCTIONAL ACTIVITY 

with the lungs, although they have to do with 
poisonous wastes of a different type. Insuffi- 
cient functioning of the kidneys is not so immedi- 
ately fatal as the failure of the lungs to do their 
work, but proper action of the kidneys is none 
the less important. If the poisons which are 
normally eradicated from the system in this way 
are allowed to remain or to accumulate, they 
poison the body as truly as any external toxic 
element that could be introduced. Insufficient 
activity of the kidneys leads to the accumulation 
of those poisons, bringing on convulsions of the 
most serious nature, and unless the condition is 
relieved there will be fatal results. The require- 
ments of health, therefore, demand that the kid- 
neys should be strong and active, and that their 
functional capacity should be maintained at the 
highest degree of efficiency. 

In supplementing the work of the kidneys and 
the lungs, the excretory function of the skin is 
only secondary in importance. The skin has 
various functions. It is one of our chief organs 
of sense, the sense of touch being hardly second 
to those of sight and hearing. It is likewise a 
wonderful protective structure, and at the same 
time is a channel of elimination which cannot be 
ignored with impunity. To interfere with the 
eliminative function of the skin by absolutely 
clogging the pores for a period of several hours 
means death. One may say that we really 
breathe through the skin. 

11 



VITALITY SUPREME 

The importance of all these functions of elimi- 
nation is vital. Pure blood depends upon the 
perfect and continuous excretion of the wastes 
formed in the body through the processes of life, 
and without keeping the blood pure in this man- 
ner the body rapidly becomes poisoned by its own 
waste products, with the result that health, vital- 
ity and even life are lost. Health is entirely a 
question of pure blood, and, while the blood de- 
pends first upon the building material supplied 
through the digestive system, it also depends 
equally as much upon functional activity in the 
matter of elimination. 

The liver, which enjoys the distinction of be- 
ing the largest organ in the body, is designed for 
the performance of a multiplicity of functions. 
It not only produces the bile, which has such 
an important part to play in the work of 
digestion, but it has a very important work in 
the changing of foods absorbed into such material 
as may be assimilated or used by the cells of the 
various tissues throughout the body. For in- 
stance, it is part of the function of the liver to 
bring about chemical changes in albuminous 
foods which make it possible for the tissues to 
assimilate these. g It also has much to do with 
bringing about certain chemical changes in sugar 
or dextrose. Furthermore, the liver has an im- 
portant function in connection with the excretion 
of broken-down bodily tissue, converting this 
dead matter into a form in which it can be filtered 

12 



FUNCTIONAL ACTIVITY 

out of the blood by the kidneys. Failure of the 
liver to perform its work satisfactorily will upset 
the digestive and functional system, or may lead 
to an accumulation of uric acid in the body, 
possibly resulting in rheumatism, gout, neuralgia, 
disturbances of circulation and other evils. 
When your liver "goes on strike" you may ex- 
pect trouble in general. A normal condition of 
the entire body depends upon perfect and con- 
tinuous functioning of the liver in cooperation 
with all the other vital organs. The same may 
be said of the pancreas, spleen, the thyroid gland 
and other organs which have a special function 
to perform. The body is really a combination 
of all these various parts and functions, and with- 
out strength and activity in all of them, simul- 
taneous and harmonious, not one of these in- 
terdependent parts could do its work, and the 
body as a whole would be thrown into a state of 
disease. Strength of the internal organs is in- 
finitely more important than mere muscular 
strength, if one could properly make a com- 
parison. 

How, therefore, shall we build this internal, 
functional strength? Can our organs be made 
to function more satisfactorily? How may 
we promote their greater activity? 

It will be the purpose of the succeeding chap- 
ters in this volume to point out how the vital or- 
gans may be strengthened and the sum total of 
one's vitality thereby increased. It is true that 

13 



VITALITY SUPREME 

internal strength is more important than external 
muscular strength, but the fact is that they go 
together. As a general thing, by building mus- 
cular strength one is able at the same time to 
develop internal strength. The influence of ex- 
ercise in purifying the blood and in promoting 
activity in all the internal organs really strength- 
ens the "department of the interior" at the same 
time that it develops the muscles concerned. 
Muscular stagnation means organic stagnation, 
to a very large degree. To be thoroughly alive 
and to enjoy the possession of unlimited vitality 
it is necessary to be both muscularly and function- 
ally active. The requirements of Nature, or 
what are more commonly termed the "laws of 
Nature," in reference to all these bodily functions 
must be strictly observed, for it is only under such 
conditions that life and health can be maintained 
at their best. 

The body may be regarded as a machine. 
Why not make it a strong machine, and as perfect 
as possible? Its efficiency means everything. 
If you had an engine, a motorcycle, a sewing 
machine or a printing press that was a very poor 
machine, you would like to exchange it for a bet- 
ter one, would you not? You would even spend 
large sums of money to secure a better machine 
to take the place of the poor one. But if your 
body is imperfect, inefficient, weak, rusty and 
clogged up with grit, dirt and all the waste prod- 
ucts due to the "wear" in the bodily structures, 

14 



FUNCTIONAL ACTIVITY 

you seem nevertheless entirely satisfied. You 
go on from day to day and from year to year 
without thinking of the possibility of getting a 
better physical equipment. But why not con- 
sider the body in the same light as any other 
machine that is of value to you. Your body is 
the thing that keeps you alive. If it is a poor 
instrument, then it is more important that you 
should get a better one than that you should buy 
a new engine or new printing-press or new sew- 
ing-machine. The only difference is, that it is 
within your power to get a better body machine 
by building up the one that you have. You can 
repair it, you can add to its vitality, you can 
strengthen the functional system, you can make 
it more perfect and efficient. You can make it 
a high-power machine that will be of real value in 
any undertaking that you may wish to carry out. 
You can make it strong instead of weak, and you 
can thus enjoy that superabundant vitality with- 
out which life is hardly worth the living. 



15 



CHAPTER III 

The Proper Bodily Posture 

THE very great value of maintaining the 
body in a proper position cannot be too 
strongly emphasized. Man is the only 
animal that walks erect. He is the only animal 
in whom old age brings a forward bending of 
the spine. The hanging head, which is the atti- 
tude of hopelessness, and which is caused to a 
very large extent by the mental attitude that goes 
with approaching old age, no doubt does a great 
deal to quicken physical decline. 

Therefore it would be wise to remember the 
very grave importance of a straight, erect spine. 
Each day of your life should be to a certain ex- 
tent a fight for the best that there is in life and 
a struggle to hold the spine as nearly erect as 
possible. If you are sitting in a chair, sit up 
straight, head back, chin in. If you are walking 
or standing, the same rule should apply. The 
more nearly you can assume the position which 
is sometimes criticized by the sarcastic statement 
that "He looks as though he had swallowed a 
poker," the more nearly you will approximate 
the ideal position. 

16 




This illustration gives some idea of the proper carriage of 
the body, with chin in and backward, though in this photo= 
graph the head is slightly turned. Struggle for this po= 
sition when standing or sitting to the fullest extent of your 
powers throughout every day of your life. 

3 17 



VITALITY SUPREME 

As will be shown in the succeeding chapter, it 
is not necessary to make extraordinary efforts to 
hold the shoulders back or to arch the chest. The 
one idea — chin in, down and backward — will ac- 
complish all that is needed. The chest and 
shoulders will naturally take care of themselves. 

Furthermore, it is well to remember that this 
attitude in itself has a tremendous influence upon 
both the physical and mental organism. The 
mind, for instance, is affected to an extraordinary 
degree by this position. v Jt quickens the reason- 
ing capacity, helps to Clear the brain of "cob- 
webs" and unquestionably adds to one's courage. 
The man who is afraid hangs his head. He who 
is void of fear holds his head erect, "looks the 
world in the face!" There is no question that 
if a man without fear were to assume the posi- 
tion of fear, with hanging head and shrinking 
body, he would quickly find himself stirred by 
the emotions associated with such a posture. He 
would soon "get scared!" In fact, the attitude 
of the body has so much to do with one's mental 
and emotional state that the question of self-con- 
fidence or lack of confidence may often be de- 
cided simply by throwing your head up and back 
and assuming the general bodily posture that goes 
with confidence. It not only expresses confi- 
dence: it also develops confidence. There is a 
great truth here that psychologists and those who 
write "character building" books have not suffi- 
ciently understood or emphasized. And when 

18 



PROPER POSTURE 

you feel discouraged, the best way to overcome 
the sense of depression is to "brace up" physically. 
It will help you to "brace up" mentally. Try 
it. 

Then there are the definite physiological re- 
sults of maintaining an erect spine. The me- 
chanical arrangement of the spine itself is such 
that if it is held erect the important nerves that 
radiate to all parts of the body from this central 
"bureau" are able more perfectly to perform 
their functions. Where there is pressure on 
these nerves there is bound to be imperfect func- 
tioning. The affected organ will work lazily, in- 
differently. In fact, the entire science of the 
osteopaths and chiropractors is based almost 
wholly upon the value of spinal stimulation and 
the remedying of spinal defects. 

There is another way in which an erect 
carriage has a direct physical influence, namely, 
in maintaining the proper position of the vital 
organs. When the body is held erect the chest 
is full, round and somewhat expanded, affording 
plenty of room for the heart and lungs. This, 
in itself, is conducive to vitality as compared 
with the flat-chested attitude. The stomach, 
liver, spleen, pancreas and intestines all tend to 
drop or sag below their normal position when the 
body bends forward. In maintaining an erect 
position all these organs are drawn upward and 
held in their natural position, and this means 
greater vigor and better functioning on the part 

19 



VITALITY SUPREME 

of each. This particular consideration is of 
special importance in the case of women. It all 
goes to show the truly wonderful value of main- 
taining the spine in a properly erect attitude. 

The sitting position usually assumed is far 
from what it should be in order to insure health. 
As a rule, we sit humped forward, with a de- 
cided bend in the spine, ultimately developing 
splendid examples of what we call round shoul- 
ders. The spine, while sitting, should be held as 
nearly straight as possible. The position of the 
head, to a very large extent, determines the gen- 
eral posture of the body. As nearly as possible 
the chin should be held inward, downward and 
backward. I will admit that this position is 
almost impossible when one is using the ordinary 
type of chair. 

An extraordinary effort is required to sit 
properly in the conventional chair. Furniture 
of this sort should be made to fit the body in the 
same way as our clothing does. The back of a 
chair should be made to fit the backs of those who 
are to occupy the chair. The chair-back should, 
at least to a reasonable extent, approximate the 
normal shape of the spine. If the chair, through- 
out its entire back, cannot be thus shaped, then 
it should be cut off even with the waist line of 
the occupant. Such a low-back chair will usually 
allow one to sit erect without serious discom- 
fort. 

There has been much criticism of American 

20 



PROPER POSTURE 

men on the ground that they are inclined to sit 
down on the small of the back. They slide for- 
ward in the chair, with the back bent over and 
the shoulders humped forward. But the fault 
really lies with the construction of the chair. 
The back of a chair does not fit the human back, 
and the seat is not at the right angle to rest the 
body. 

Why is it that men commonly like to tilt a 
chair backward on the hind legs? Even when 
they do not place their feet on a convenient table 
they are prone to tip the chair back and partly 
balance it on the hind legs. Why do people in- 
stinctively prefer a rocking chair as a source of 
comfort, even when they do not rock? The fact 
is that it is not the rocking that makes a rocking 
chair comfortable, but the position of the seat of 
the chair, with its downward slope toward the 
back. The rocking chair is comfortable for just 
the same reason that the ordinary dining chair 
is made more comfortable when a man tilts it 
back upon its hind legs. The reason is that in 
this position one does not tend to slide forward 
off the chair, the weight of the body naturally 
carrying the hips to the back of the chair, where it 
is supported naturally. In order to avoid the 
"sliding down the cellar door" character of the 
conventional chair a change should be made in 
the incline of the seat similar to that found in the 
ordinary rocking chair and in the chair when 
tipped back in the manner I have described. 

21 




In the chair shown in this illustration the back legs have 
been sawed off about four inches. This naturally lowers the 
back, gives it an additional slant and adds very greatly to 
the comfort of the chair. 



PROPER POSTURE 

The photograph which has been reproduced on 
the preceding page illustrates the point I wish 
to make. In this particular instance I have used 
an ordinary chair to show what can be done to 
improve the chairs in the ordinary home. Both 
of the back legs of this chair were sawed off some 
three or four inches — thus elevating the front 
part of the chair and lowering the back part, giv- 
ing the seat an incline toward the rear which more 
comfortably accommodates the body. This posi- 
tion approximates that of the ordinary swivel 
desk chair tilted back by business men when they 
are not leaning forward over their desks. This 
suggestion can be adopted very easily and cheaply 
in almost any home, for any ordinary chair 
treated in this manner will be very greatly im- 
proved, and far greater comfort will be experi- 
enced as a result of the change. Civilized men 
and women spend such a very large part of the 
time in a sitting position that the bodily posture 
when sitting down is a very great factor in the 
bodily welfare and health. Special thought and 
study, therefore, should be given the question of 
the sitting posture. Unfortunately, this partic- 
ular subject seems to have been ignored abso- 
lutely for hundreds of years in the making of 
our chairs. 

It is just as harmful to sit all humped over as 
it is to stand in such a position. The nervous 
system cannot be maintained at its best un- 
less the spine is held reasonably erect. Whether 

23 



VITALITY SUPREME 

sitting or standing, therefore, it is important that 
you should make a never-ending struggle for a 
straight spine. 

If the back of the chair in which you sit is not 
properly made then it is better, in most cases, 
to ignore the back altogether. Sit slightly for- 
ward from the back and maintain an erect posi- 
tion, with the chin held in, downward and back- 
ward. In this position you should sit well bal- 
anced, as it were. The chest should occupy the 
same relative position as when standing erect. 
If you will hold the head in the position I have 
indicated it will help you to keep the chest and 
back in the right position. As a general thing, it 
is a much more simple matter to maintain this 
erect position when sitting, if either one foot, or 
both feet, are drawn back under the chair. When 
both feet are stretched out forward upon the floor 
a person is inclined to sag backward in a partially 
reclining position upon the chair. By holding 
one foot underneath the chair in such a manner 
that you could rise to a standing position, if de- 
sired, without lurching forward, you will find it 
easy to maintain a well balanced and erect pos- 
ture. If at any time you find yourself slumping 
forward or slouching in your seat, it is good to 
stretch your arms high above the head, or to ex- 
pand the chest and draw your shoulders back- 
ward in the position commonly assumed when 
yawning and stretching. Either of these stretch- 
ing movements will give you an erect position, 

24 



PROPER POSTURE 

and you can maintain this thereafter by keeping 
the head in the right position — chin inward, 
downward and backward. These stretching 
movements will be equally effective for improv- 
ing the carriage when standing. 

The same complaint that I have made against 
the ordinary chair can be registered with special 
force against the desks used in the schoolrooms. 
There is no question that a great deal of spinal 
curvature in childhood, to say nothing of round 
shoulders and flat chests, are directly the result 
of the improper sitting posture in the schools 
which is enforced upon the children because of 
the unsuitable character of their seating arrange- 
ments. Thus we practically begin life hampered 
by an unsatisfactory environment, so far as our 
sitting posture is concerned. The chair back or 
the desk chair should fit the human back. It 
should favor and not hamper one in assuming a 
normal and straight position of the spine. 

When you get up in the morning, exercise 
yourself a little in straightening the spine, chin 
in, downward and backward. When you walk 
to business or when you go about your duties, 
keep the same thought in mind. Force the head 
back. Take the exercises which you will find in 
the next chapter, referring to the thyroid gland, 
at very frequent intervals during the day. 

Remember that in fighting for a straight spine 
you are fighting for youth and health and life 
and energy and courage and enthusiasm. You 

25 



VITALITY SUPREME 

are fighting for everything that is best in life, 
and you should strive and struggle with all the 
energy you possess to win the rewards associated 
therewith. 

Each day of your life will bring difficulties, 
worries. Life at its best is not a bed of roses. 
All these various influences are inclined to make 
you hang your head. You may have moments 
when you are hopeless, when life seems forbidding 
and cheerless. Fight against such inclinations 
with all the power you possess. Struggle against 
such discouragements with all your might and 
main, not only through your mental attitude but 
through your determination to maintain an erect 
spine. Hold your head up and look the world 
in the face. -^r\ 

j Don't shirk your duty. /Don't deviate from 
the path along which your best impulses and 
highest ideals would lead you. Life is worth 
while. It is filled with glorious opportunities. 
Reach out and grasp them as they come up. 
Hold your head up and be a man or a woman 
to the fullest extent of your abilities. 



26 



CHAPTER IV 

Stimulating the Source of Stamina and 
Vitality 

THIS is an age of short cuts. Any de- 
vious routes to the accomplishment of an 
object should be avoided. If you want 
vitality, and the vivacity, energy and enthusiasm 
with which it is associated, you naturally search 
for a method which will bring certain and quick 
improvements. The reasonableness and general 
prevalence of this demand was in my mind when 
I began experimentation with a view to discover- 
ing a method for stimulating what I term the 
source of vital power. 

Scientific men while delving into the mar- 
velous secrets of physiology, have learned that 
the thyroid gland in some peculiar manner 
possesses an extraordinary influence upon vital 
stamina and virility. This mysterious gland 
is located in front of the neck, about half way 
between the so-called "Adam's apple" and the 
top of the sternum or breast-bone, where it 
adheres to each side of the front of the trachea, 
or windpipe, in a flattened form, something like 
the wings of a butterfly, with a connecting 

27 



VITALITY SUPREME 

"isthmus." It is a "ductless" gland, its secre- 
tions apparently being taken up by absorption 
into the lymph, and from that into the blood. 

While the functions of this little organ are 
not yet very clearly understood, there is nothing 
more definitely known than its tremendous im- 
portance in the bodily economy. Without it 
there can be no such thing as healthy develop- 
ment. Thyroid deficiency in children gives rise 
to a form of idiocy, bodily malformation and de- 
generacy known as cretinism, while in adult life 
it is associated with a similar disorder known as 
myxedema. Goitre is the most common disorder 
of the thyroid gland; though not very serious in 
minor cases, it is capable of becoming very dan- 
gerous, assuming such malignant forms as ex- 
ophthalmic goitre, which is marked by palpitation 
of the heart, nervous symptoms and protrusion 
of the eyes. 

It is thought by some authorities that the 
thyroid gland has to do with the control of the 
excretion of the waste products from nitrog- 
enous foods, for it has been found that a meat 
diet or a high-proteid diet is extremely harmful 
in disorders of this organ. It has been found 
that dogs fed on meat after the thyroid gland 
has been removed invariably die in a few days, 
but that they can be kept alive for a long time 
if fed on a diet very low in proteids. It is found 
as a rule that those suffering from thyroid 
troubles do very well on a milk diet. 

28 



STAMINA AND VIRILITY 

Some students of the subject conclude that 
the function of the thyroid gland is to destroy 
poisonous products formed by the decomposi- 
tion of proteid food substances. It is believed 
by others that it also has a defensive action 
against other poisons in the body, including 
alcohol and poisonous drugs. In other words, 
it is thought to have an "antitoxic" action. It 
has also been held that this organ has much to 
do with the supply of iodine in the system, being 
particularly affected by the lack of iodine in 
the food. Again, it is said that , when the 
thyroid gland has degenerated there ensues a 
condition of auto-intoxication, followed by a 
degeneration of other organs which destroy and 
eliminate poisons in the blood. It is claimed 
that in many cases of thyroid deficiency, as in 
cretinism, good results have been obtained by 
the use of thyroid extract, thus supplying the 
body with the secretion which normally should 
have been obtained from this gland. 

But, whatever may be the function of this 
remarkable little organ, the fact remains that it 
is of tremendous importance to health, being 
undeniably endowed with extraordinary influ- 
ence on virility, physical strength and mental 
vigor. 

Now. these facts were in mind when I com- 
menced the experiments which, as I have said, 
led to the discovery of a method of stimulating 
the vital forces of the body. The problem 

29 




At the left, cross 
section of head and 
throat, showing posi- 
tion of thyroid gland. 



Thyroid gland 



At the right, thyroid 
gland, larynx and trachea 
(windpipe) of one-year- 
old child. 



1. Larynx. 

2. Cricoid Cartilage. 

3. Thyroid gland. 

4. Trachea. 




30 



STAMINA AND VIRILITY 

seemed simple in some respects. If the thyroid 
gland has such a definite effect upon bodily 
health, the query as to how it can be strength- 
ened and stimulated to perform its work more 
satisfactorily, assumed unusual importance and 
I was strongly moved to discover the answer. 
The problem, however, was not by any means 
an easy one. A long time elapsed before a sat- 
isfactory solution presented itself. The first 
thought that naturally occurs to one when en- 
deavoring to stimulate the activities of any part 
of the body is to find some means of increasing 
the circulation to that part. Ordinary massage 
will usually accomplish this purpose to a lim- 
ited degree, though massage to my mind is a 
superficial agent in many cases. It will increase 
local circulation, but it does not facilitate tissue 
changes to the same extent as exercise which 
directly affects the structures concerned, or the 
mechanical movements of the parts themselves 
that are brought about through active use of 
them in some way. I have known of cases in 
which pressure and massage applied to the re- 
gion of the thyroid gland have been followed by 
harmful effects, such as fainting, and certainly no 
one with a weak heart should attempt to stimu- 
late this organ in this manner. Therefore, in 
endeavoring to find a satisfactory means of stim- 
ulating this important gland, I did not give mas- 
sage serious thought. And I might as well say 
that I finally "stumbled" upon the important 

31 



VITALITY SUPREME 

truth which is the basis of the method that I am 
presenting. 

For many years I have been a student of vo- 
cal culture, having taken up the study of this 
art chiefly as a recreation, with no thought of 
ever publicly using any ability I might acquire, 
though I might mention that the additional vocal 
strength obtained as a result of this training as- 
sisted me greatly in public speaking. While 
giving my attention to this particular study, I 
was greatly impressed by the extreme impor- 
tance of maintaining an erect spine, holding 
the chin down, inward and backward, and keep- 
ing the shoulders back and the chest expanded. 
I found, however, like many others who be- 
come "slack" in bodily posture, that a consider- 
able effort was required to maintain a proper 
position at all times. I therefore began a 
series of special exercises intended really to 
force myself to assume a properly erect po- 
sition. While experimenting with these exer- 
cises for the purpose mentioned, I noted a 
marked effect upon my general vital vigor. 
Not only was this made apparent by an increase 
in physical strength and stamina, but it was 
marked in an equal degree by additional mental 
energy and capacity. My mind was clearer, 
and I could surmount difficulties presented in 
business enterprises in which I was interested 
with far more ease than before. I could make 
decisions more easily and quickly. In addition, 

32 




EXERCISE i. 

Place the right open palm over the lower portion of the 

neck covering the thyroid gland and press slightly. If one 

is especially vigorous, the pressure can be considerably in= 

creased by adding the strength of the left arm as illustrated. 

4 33 




EXERCISE 2. 
Bring the chin far upward, then stretch the platysma 
myoides muscle lying immediately in front of the neck, and 
spreading out across the upper part of the chest; repeat 
until it is fatigued. 

34 



STAMINA AND VIRILITY 

a decided gain in weight was noted — not by any 
means in the form of mere fatty tissue, but of 
firm, substantial flesh. These very pleasing re- 
sults induced me to go more carefully into the 
causes underlying this remarkable improvement. 
I carried on an elaborate series of careful experi- 
ments with a view to proving the conclusions to 
which I had come in the course of these exer- 
cises. It was quite apparent that a full devel- 
opment of the back part of the upper spine was 
necessary in order to maintain the strength es- 
sential to extreme vigor and vitality. And it 
became quite plain to me that this development 
could not be achieved without stimulating to an 
unusual degree the thyroid gland. Reasoning 
along this line, I called to mind the appearance 
of various animals noted for their great strength 
and there I found my conclusions verified with 
remarkable emphasis. The arched neck of the 
stallion, the huge development of the back of 
the neck of the domestic bull, the same charac- 
teristic in even more pronounced form in the 
case of the bull ■ buffalo and the musk-ox, and 
in varying degrees in other animals conspicuous 
for their vitality and energy — all this seemed to 
indicate that I was on the verge of a remarkable 
discovery. When you think of a fiery steed, in 
every instance you bring to mind the arched ap- 
pearance of the neck. The tight reins that are 
sometimes used to give a horse a pleasing appear- 
ance, are based upon the same ideal, showing a 

35 



VITALITY SUPREME 



more or less subconscious recognition of the idea 
that this particular development is associated 
with tremendous animal vigor. 

After giving consideration to various methods 
that could be used for the purpose of stimulating 
this little organ, the thyroid gland, I finally con- 
cluded as the result of prolonged experimentation 
that the exercises illustrated in this chapter can 
most thoroughly be depended upon for produc- 
ing results. All movements here described have 
proved effective in imparting to the neck a full, 
arched, well developed appearance, but I have 
given especial attention to the active use of the 
muscles on the back of the neck. Nearly every 
movement which to a certain extent develops 
these muscles is inclined to stimulate the thyroid 
gland. The more special movements for this 
purpose are indicated in the various illustrations 
accompanying this chapter. This development 
of the back of the neck always indicates great 
vitality, because definite proof is thereby given 
that the spine is unusually strong and is main- 
tained in a position favorable to the function- 
ing of all the organs of the body. Many of the 
movements illustrated are but slight in char- 
acter, but they are the more adaptable because 
of this. No matter where you may be, whether 
walking along the street, conversing with a 
friend, or sitting at a desk, they can be practiced 
quietly without attracting attention. Further- 
more, it is absolutely essential that an erect posi- 

36 




EXERCISE 3. 
Move chin inward, slightly downward and as far back= 
ward as possible. This movement is so slight that it can 
be used at any time, walking, sitting, or standing, even 
while conversing with a friend, as it will hardly be noticed. 
Make the effort as vigorous as possible each time the head 
is moved backward. Always be sure the abdomen is ex= 
panded while making these movements. 

37 




EXERCISE 4. 
A movement very similar to the preceding, though the 
head is turned far to the side as will be noted. Vary the 
movement by turning to the right or to the left side. This 
movement and the preceding one illustrated represent two 
of the most important features of thyroid stimulation. 
They should be used at frequent intervals throughout every 
day. 

38 



STAMINA AND VIRILITY 

tion of the spine be kept in mind continually. 
You should begin every morning to hold the 
spine straight and erect, and each day should rep- 
resent an increment of success in the struggle 
finally to maintain involuntarily this position of 
the body. On arising in the morning, practice 
some of the exercises illustrated in this chapter 
for stimulating the thyroid gland, being careful 
to perform them just as instructed in each 
illustration. Whenever you are unoccupied dur- 
ing the day, it is a good plan to practice these 
movements occasionally, as they will assist you 
materially in maintaining the spine in that erect 
position which I found so important at the begin- 
ning of my vocal studies. The most important/ 
movement is to bring the chin downward, in-, 
ward, and backward as far as possible, endeav-\ 
oring to arch as much as you can the back of ' 
the neck. You may have to practice a long 
while before you notice an outline that will in 
any way resemble an arch in the back of your 
neck, but all this work you can be assured will 
be of decided benefit to you. And, whether or 
not you attain the desired arch, you can be as- 
sured of benefits that will be worth all your 
efforts. When you make these movements prop- 
erly, there is no necessity for trying to bring the 
chest out or the shoulders far back. The sim- 
ple movements of the neck alone as described, if 
properly performed, will fulfill all requirements. 
For these movements tend mechanically to raise 

39 



VI T ALITY SUPREME 

and arch the chest and to throw the shoulders 
far backward. Remember also the necessity, 
when taking these movements, of keeping the 
abdominal region expanded as fully as possible. 
Do not draw in the waist line. The importance 
of this admonition cannot be too strongly empha- 
sized. If you maintain a full abdomen, thyroid- 
stimulating movements seem to tone up, increase 
in size, and strengthen all the vital organs lying 
in the gastric region. 

In further proof of the value of the exercises 
described in this work as a means of building un- 
usual vital vigor, note the remarkable stamina 
and virility of men possessing an unusual devel- 
opment of the neck. Where the neck is broad 
and well filled out at the back, you can depend 
absolutely upon the possession of great vital 
vigor. It is quite plain, therefore, that by merely 
adopting some method of developing this part 
of the spine you will have accomplished a great 
deal towards obtaining a high degree of vital 
stamina. Some of the strongest men in the 
world can be found among professional wres- 
tlers. Many of those following this profession 
retain their athletic ability a great many years 
beyond the athletic life of men in other branches 
of sport. In fact, champion wrestlers sometimes 
retain their championship honors for a score of 
years beyond the age at which champion boxers 
and runners retire. It is a well known fact that 
wrestling requires extraordinary strength of the 

40 




EXERCISE 5. 
Bring the chin vigorously far downward on the chest with 
muscles tightly tensed and with head held far downward, twist 
far to the right then far to the left. 

41 




EXERCISE 6. 
Reach outward far to the side with your chin, endeavor= 
Ing as nearly as possible to touch the tight shoulder with 
it. Repeat the movement, stretching far outward and em 
deavoring to touch the left shoulder with the chin. 

42 



STAMINA AND VIRILITY 

upper spine. Some of the most strenuous wres- 
tling holds use the muscles of the upper back 
and neck in a very vigorous and violent manner. 
Consequently wrestlers are noted for what are 
often termed bull necks, thus plainly indicating 
the exceptional degree of vital vigor which they 
possess. 

Accordingly it is well to remember in connec- 
tion with these exercises that many movements 
which assist in the development of the neck mus- 
cles also serve to stimulate the activities of the 
thyroid gland. You cannot go through the proc- 
ess of training for a wrestling match without 
stimulating this organ to an exceptional degree. 
Therefore, in following the suggestions which are 
given in this chapter, you are securing the full 
benefit of a vitality-stimulating process that or- 
dinarily can be obtained only by going through 
a prolonged course of wrestling. There is no 
necessity for you to develop a "bull neck," but 
you should make the most strenuous efforts to 
acquire a sufficient development of the back of 
the neck to give it an arched appearance. The 
more nearly you can approximate a development 
of this character, the more vital will you become. 
And along with this superior power will come a 
similar improvement in every other capacity, 
mental as well as physical. 

That there may be no mistake, let me reiterate : 
That the spine must be held erect at all 
times when sitting or standing. 

43 



VITALITY SUPREME 

That frequently during the day when sitting 
or standing the chin should be brought down and 
in with a backward movement, the head being 
turned at times far either to the right or left side, 
with a vigorous twist of the strongly tensed 
muscles. 

That on every occasion when this movement 
is made, the abdomen must be fully expanded — - 
not held in or drawn upward. 

That great emphasis must be given to the im- 
portance of bringing the chin slowly but vigor- 
ously downward against the chest before the in- 
ward and backward movement is begun. This 
insures a proper stimulation of the thyroid gland. 



u 



CHAPTER V 

Stimulating, Straightening and 
Strengthening the Spine 

THE human spine bears the same relation to 
the body as a whole as the trunk of a tree 
does to the rest of the tree. If the trunk 
is strong the entire tree is sturdy and vigorous. 
If the spine is strong the body as a whole pos- 
sesses a similar degree of strength. Therefore, 
the necessity for a strong spine is readily ap- 
parent. 

This strength is necessary not only because 
the spine is what may be termed the foundation 
for our entire physical structure but also because 
therein are located the nerves that radiate to each 
organ and every minute part of the body. These 
spinal nerves control the functional processes of 
all our bodily tissues and structures. If the 
spine possesses a proper degree of strength, if the 
bony structure is properly proportioned, and if 
the alignment of all the vertebrae is everything 
that can be desired, you are then practically as- 
sured of the pulsating vitality which is a part of 
superb health. 

It is an interesting fact that the spine is the 

45 



VITALITY SUPREME 

central and fundamental structure of all the 
higher organisms on this earth. In the course 
of the evolution of life on this planet there de- 
veloped from the very simplest forms of animal 
organisms two different higher forms of life — on 
the one hand the vertebrate animals, possessing 
an internal skeleton, and on the other hand the 
insects, clams, crustaceans and other creatures 
that have their skeletons on the outside, as one 
may say, in the form of shells. The legs of an 
insect, for instance, are small tubes with the mus- 
cles inside. The limbs of vertebrate animals, 
on the other hand, have the muscle outside the 
bone. Invertebrates commonly have the main 
nerve trunk in front, or underneath, instead of 
at the back, and likewise often have their brains 
in their abdomens. Some of them, such as the 
grasshopper, even hear with their abdomens. 
But all vertebrata have the great nerve trunk at 
the back, contained in the spine and with a bulb 
on the front or upper end constituting the brain. 
In fact, a vertebrate animal is primarily a liv- 
ing spine, and all other parts of the body are in 
the nature of appendages. The limbs, for in- 
stance, and in the higher animals the ribs and 
other parts of the skeleton, are simply attached 
to the spine, or are offshoots from it. In the 
fishes these limbs take the shape of fins. In the 
higher developments of life they assume the form 
of legs. 

All the higher animals, as we know, have 

46 



\ 




EXERCISE 7. 
Move the head far over to the left. Now place the palm 
of the right hand against the side of the head and press 
against the head as it is moved from far to the left to far 
to the right. Continue until slightly fatigued, and then take 
the same exercise reversing the position by using the left 
hand against the head instead of the right. 

47 




EXERCISE 



Place the right hand behind the head. Now pressing against the 
head with the right hand, bring the head from far forward to far 
backward. Continue until tired and vary the movement by 
using at times the left hand instead of the right. 

48 



STRENGTHENING SPINE 

evolved from the fishes and reptiles, and all in 
common possess a spine which in its funda- 
mental characteristics is very much the same now 
as when it was first evolved. In other words, 
the spine is a bodily structure as old as the rock- 
ribbed hills. It has stood the test of time, and 
therefore must be regarded as the most highly 
perfected mechanical structure in the body. Its 
strength combined with its flexibility and its per- 
fect adjustment as a container for the central 
nervous system, makes it perhaps the most won- 
derful structure in the body outside of the brain 
and the spinal cord itself. While other organs 
and features of the body have been changed and 
modified to such an extent in the various species 
which have been evolved that they can hardly be 
recognized as having a common origin, yet the 
spine has remained substantially the same. It is 
true that the spine has been shortened in many 
species as the result of the loss of the tail, but 
this means only the dropping off of a part of 
it and does not greatly alter its fundamental 
character. 

The human spine, however, differs from that 
of other animals in respect to its suitability for 
the erect posture. Man is the only animal in 
the world who can straighten his body and stand 
perfectly erect. Even the anthropoid apes when 
standing on their feet assume a somewhat ob- 
lique position. The vertebral column in animal 
life was first developed on the horizontal plane, 

5 49 



VITALITY SUPREME 

and so, naturally, when man was evolved and 
adopted the erect position, certain modifications 
of the spine were necessary. A new strain devel- 
oped on the vertebral column which was due to 
the new position, and so there came about cer- 
tain changes in its structure. For one thing the 
spine became less flexible and gained in stability, 
especially in the lower sections. The sacrum, 
for instance, is created by the fusing together of 
several vertebrae into one bone for the sake of 
greater strength and stability. The sacrum in 
man is much broader than in animals, for it must 
supply solidity and strength to the lower part 
of the spine, thus adapting it to the vertical po- 
sition, and in the same way the lower vertebras 
generally are comparatively broader and heavier, 
gradually decreasing in size and tapering toward 
the top of the spine like the trunk of a tree. 

This particular feature of the human back- 
bone is worthy of special consideration because 
it is the upper section of the spine, in which the 
vertebrae are smaller and tapering, that weak- 
ness is most likely to exist. It is in this upper 
section of the spine that strength is most needed 
in order to preserve it in perfect alignment, and 
keep the body properly erect. And it is for this 
reason, as the reader will see, that exercises af- 
fecting the upper parts of the spine are most im- 
portant. Therefore I have given them special 
attention. 

The curves in the human spine are character- 

50 




EXERCISE 9. 
Interlace the fingers of both hands behind the head. Now with 
the head far forward, press against the head as it is moved far 
backward to the position illustrated above. Continue the move- 
ment until fatigued. 

51 




EXERCISE 10. 
Place the palm of the right hand across the forehead with 
the head far back as shown in the illustration, clasping the 
right wrist with the left hand. Now bring the head far for- 
ward, resisting the movement vigorously with the strength 
of both arms. Continue until tired. 

52 



STRENGTHENING SPINE 

istic, illustrating in another way the modification 
of the vertebral column that has been made nec- 
essary by the erect position. The new-born baby 
has a backbone that is almost straight, and in 
this respect it bears a strong resemblance to that 
of many of the lower animals. The typical hu- 
man curves, however, begin to take form as soon 
as the child learns to sit up, and they become 
more marked as he learns to walk and run. 
These curves are essential to maintaining the bal- 
ance of the body in the erect position. 

There are really three curves in the human 
backbone, the cervical curve being convex, the 
dorsal concave, and the lumbar convex, when 
each is regarded from the forward aspect. If we 
consider the sacrum and coccyx, there is really 
a fourth curve, this being concave, although in 
animals generally the coccyx curves backwards 
and is extended to form the tail. In some of 
the lower animals the spine is nearly straight, 
while in some cases it virtually forms a complete 
arch from one end to the other. 

These curves of the spine are generally more 
marked in the civilized white races than among 
the black and savage races, and as a rule they 
are more pronounced among women than among 
men. For instance, in comparing the sexes we 
find that in a woman the lumbar curve is more 
marked and extends slightly higher than in a 
man, and that the broad sacrum characteristic of 
the human race is even wider, being thus adapted 

53 



VITALITY SUPREME 



to the broader hips and wider pelvic cavity of the 
child-bearing sex. 

Now, the maintenance of a strong and erect 
spine, and especially of the normal curves of 
youth is most important. With the weakness 
of advancing age the curves, particularly in the 
upper part of the spine, tend to become more 
pronounced. The more accentuated these curves 
are the greater is the weakness of the spine and 
of the muscles of the back that is indicated. It 
is said that a man is as old as his spine, since the 
deterioration of the spine means the loss of elas- 
ticity and supporting power in the disk-like car- 
tilages between the vertebra?, and also the loss 
of strength in the muscles and ligaments of the 
back which tend to hold the spinal vertebra? in 
place. It is usually found that vigorous old men 
who are mentally and physically active at eighty 
or ninety years are those who have maintained 
an erect bearing until late in life, who have kept 
their spines straight and strong instead of allow- 
ing them to bend over and double up. In other 
words, the deterioration of the spine means a 
general loss of bodily vigor and a decline in the 
nervous energy or vitality. 

With the flattening down of the cushiony 
disks or cartilages between the vertebrae, and also 
with the dislocation even in the slightest degree 
of these vertebra?, there is brought about more or 
less interference with the free action of the spinal 
cord itself and of the spinal nerves. The pinch- 

54 




EXERCISE 11. 
Place the open palm of the left hand on the forehead. Now 
while pressing vigorously against the movement, bring the head 
from far backward to far forward. Continue until fatigued and 
vary the exercise by using the right hand instead of the left. 

55 



/ 




EXERCISE 12. 
Interlace fingers behind the left leg just above the knee. Now while slightly 
resisting the movement with the leg lift upward vigorously. Continue the move- 
ment until a slight feeling of fatigue is produced. In addition to its value as a 
stimulant to the nerve centers this movement is especially recommended for 
strengthening and developing what is known as "the small of the back." It should 
be varied by interlacing fingers behind the right leg instead of the left. 

56 



STRENGTHENING SPINE 

ing of these nerves naturally interferes with the 
supply of energy to the organs controlled by 
them, and causes more or less serious derange- 
ment of the bodily functions. If one can keep 
his spine straight and strong the central nervous 
system will likewise be healthy and vigorous, and 
all organs will be supplied with a normal amount 
of energy and vitality. 

The special exercises for the spine which I 
have recommended for years have the general 
effect not only of maintaining the proper align- 
ment of the vertebrae and thus promoting the 
health and welfare of the central nervous sys- 
tem, but also of strongly stimulating the nervous 
system, and thus toning up the entire bodily 
organism. All movements of the spine, whether 
of a twisting or bending character, naturally 
influence the spinal cord and the spinal nerves 
in a mechanical way. The result is something 
akin to a massage of these nerve structures, 
and in this way, as I have long contended, it is 
possible directly to stimulate the source of energy 
and vitality. I am convinced for this reason 
that muscular exercise for the back is infinitely 
more important than for any other part of the 
body, important as it is for all parts. If one has 
only very little time each day to devote to exer- 
cise, then it would pay him best to give that time 
to movements which will strengthen and stimu- 
late the spine. 

The various movements that I am presenting 

57 




EXERCISE 13. 

Hook the fingers of the right and left hands together at 

the back of both legs a little above the knee as shown in 

the illustration. Now make a vigorous lift upward. Relax 

and repeat until a definite sensation of fatigue is produced. 

58 



STRENGTHENING SPINE 

in this chapter have been devised especially to 
accompany the hot-water regimen that will be 
described in the following chapter. They are in- 
tended not only to add to the strength of the 
backbone itself, but have been devised with a 
view to stimulating to an unusual degree the 
nerve centers located in the spine. As I have 
already said, the spinal nerves control the func- 
tions of all the vital organs, and when the activity 
of these organs is stimulated not only through 
increased nerve force but also by the increased 
supply of blood that will result from the hot- 
water-drinking regimen referred to, then indeed 
will we have a combination of stimulating forces 
which will bring about vital changes, in very 
many cases, little short of astounding in char- 
acter. 

Each of these exercises should be taken until 
a feeling of fatigue has been noticed, after which 
you may rest a few moments, breathing fully and 
deeply with expanded abdomen. You should 
then be ready to begin the next exercise. There 
is little danger of soreness from taking these 
movements when they are combined with hot- 
water-drinking, as recommended in Chapter VI. 
The water seems to cleanse the tissues of the 
waste products which ordinarily cause soreness 
when one begins the practice of exercises to which 
one is not accustomed. 

If one possesses unusual vigor, then to the 
exercises illustrated in this chapter may be added 

59 



VITALITY SUPREME 

those movements appearing in the following 
chapter. All of the exercises given in this chap- 
ter are designed exclusively for the stimulation of 
the spine and nerve centers. Those illustrated in 
the next chapter are intended chiefly to accelerate 
the circulation throughout the chest, arms, legs 
and body as a whole, for when going through a 
treatment of this character it is naturally advis- 
able for one to arouse the activity of all the func- 
tions associated with tissue changes throughout 
all parts of the body. 

Although these exercises have not been devised 
especially for corrective purposes in cases of spi- 
nal curvature, yet they will be of exceptional 
value in all such cases, or at least, where there 
is no radical mechanical deformity of the ver- 
tebral column. Curvatures may be prevented in 
all cases, or may be decreased, or even reduced 
entirely by exercise of this type. Incidentally 
the practice of exercises for improving the spine 
and giving one the proper erect carriage has a 
very marked effect upon the chest. An erect 
position always means expanded chest walls, with 
plenty of room for the free activity of the heart 
and lungs. 



60 



CHAPTER VI 

Cleansing and Stimulating the Alimentary 

Canal 

THE alimentary canal has been rightly 
termed the human fire-box. It is there 
that the energy is created which runs the 
human machine. The importance of cleanliness 
in this part of the physical organism cannot be 
too greatly emphasized. Nearly all diseases have 
their beginning in the stomach or some other 
part of the alimentary canal. Defective diges- 
tion and imperfect assimilation represent the 
beginning of many incurable and deadly dis- 
eases. 

In seeking methods for building unusual vigor 
and vitality, one of the first requirements is 
definite information on the care of the ali- 
mentary canal. Mere regularity of the bowels 
does not in all cases indicate a healthy condition 
of the stomach and bowels. A movement in or- 
der to be of the right sort should be so thorough 
that it leaves one with a feeling of emptiness and 
cleanliness. In other words, you should feel that 
the colon has been evacuated thoroughly. Many 
who have regular bowel movements do not have 

61 



VITALITY SUPREME 

this satisfying sensation afterwards. When the 
movement is satisfactory in every way little or 
no straining is necessary. The colon simply 
empties itself thoroughly, and the evacuation is 
then complete. However, few have movements 
of the bowels that are satisfactory to this extent. 
There should be at least one bowel movement of 
this kind each day. Two movements of this 
character would be better, but one is sufficient if 
thorough. 

Do not acquire the idea that the bowels must 
move at a certain time each day with uninter- 
rupted regularity, for they are subject to the 
same extent as the appetite to what might be 
termed idiosyncrasies, according to environment 
and other influences. For instance, you are not 
always hungry at meal-time. Occasionally you 
eat very little or skip one or more meals, and it 
would be a serious mistake to goad your appe- 
tite with some stimulant or to eat a meal with- 
out an appetite. One can hardly say that to 
force a bowel movement when its necessity is not 
naturally indicated is as harmful as to eat a meal 
when it is not craved, but unquestionably it is of 
advantage to have the bowels move of their own 
accord, as the result of a natural impulse. Move- 
ments that do not come through the call of an 
instinct for relief are rarely satisfactory, and, 
though we strongly emphasize the necessity of 
regularity of the bowels, it is not absolutely neces- 
sary that this call should come at a certain time 

62 




EXERCISE 14. 
Stand erect, spine rigid and straight as possible. r Bring the left leg upward, 
bending the knee and grasping the leg almost under ithe knee as shown. Now 
lift the leg as high as possible by merely bending the arms at the elbow. This 
is an unusually valuable exercise for developing the biceps and other muscles of 
the upper arm. The movement should be continued until fatigue ensues. The 
leg used should be varied from left to right at different times when the exercise 
is taken. 

63 




EXERCISE 15. 
Stand erect, bend the knees, lowering the body to the crouching 
position illustrated above. Rise and repeat until a distinct feeling 
of fatigue is noticed. On each occasion when rising to an erect 
position, be sure to "snap" the knees backward with a slight 
"jerk" at the end of the movement. This little movement seems 
to very greatly stimulate the circulation and materially increase 
the number of times you can perform the exercise. 



ALIMENTARY CANAL 

during each day; and though it is undoubtedly 
of some advantage if such is the case, yet so long 
as there is one evacuation each day of the satis- 
factory sort described, you can be assured that 
your alimentary canal is in a normal and healthy 
condition. 

However, should the bowels fail to move at the 
regular time this need not cause concern if you 
are feeling "up to the mark," and there are no 
other symptoms that would indicate possible trou- 
ble. I mention this alimentary peculiarity to 
enaole my readers to avoid the slavish idea that 
it is impossible to be in health unless the bow- 
els move at certain times with clock-like regu- 
larity. 

Naturally when the contents of the alimentary 
canal are allowed to accumulate for a consider- 
able period and there is sluggishness throughout 
the various parts of the small and large intes- 
tines, poisons of all kinds are generated and ab- 
sorbed into the circulation, thus creating condi- 
tions ranging all the way from a feeling of leth- 
argy to a condition of weakness and disease that 
confines one to an invalid's bed. Regardless of 
the attention that you may give to the other in- 
formation in this book, it is extremely important 
that you should realize the necessity for active 
elimination. 

It is necessary in the maintenance of alimen- 
tary health to avoid a slavish adherence to the 
theory of definitely regular movements of the 

6 65 



VITALITY SUPREME 

bowels and still not to make the mistake of 
allowing them to become chronically sluggish or 
irregular. As a rule you should depend upon 
having regular movements each day, though if 
occasionally a day is missed you should not allow 
this deviation to worry you. 

Recognizing as I do the great importance of 
a healthy alimentary canal I have given a vast 
amount of attention to the various methods 
which have been suggested from time to time by 
students of natural healing for assisting to regu- 
late the functional processes of this important 
part of our organism. The flushing of the lower 
bowel for instance has been widely recommended, 
and it is unquestionably of value in some cases. 
However, it cleanses only the lower part of the 
alimentary canal, that is to say, the colon. It 
assists the small intestines no doubt by giving 
their contents free access to the colon, but yet 
this aid cannot directly affect them. If you 
have in view the cleansing of the entire alimen- 
tary canal from stomach to rectum, the enema 
is often of indifferent value. The use of various 
laxative foods can be recommended in most in- 
stances, though even these sometimes fail to bring 
about satisfying results, and then again there are 
cases where they provide a remedy for only a 
short period, after which the bowels resume their 
old state of chronic torpidity. Naturally we 
cannot consider cathartics of any kind, notwith- 
standing their power to produce temporary re- 



ALIMENTARY CANAL 

suits. In all cases the after effects of their use 
are seriously destructive to the delicate nerves 
controlling the alimentary canal and its functions 
in general. Cathartics invariably make the real 
condition more obstinate and serious. 

It is well to remember that the real cause of 
constipation in virtually every instance is the 
want of vital vigor of the structures and tissues 
involved. Digestion, though to a certain extent 
a chemical process, is very largely mechanical. 
The muscles of the stomach "churn" the food 
in the beginning of the digestive process, after 
which the circulatory muscle fibers of the small 
intestines continue the work. If these muscles 
are lacking in tone, if they are relaxed, prolapsed 
and weak, then they cannot properly perform 
their functions. In attempting to strengthen 
this important part of the bodily organism the 
necessity for increasing the vigor of the muscu- 
lar tissues must invariably be definitely recog- 
nized. Strong muscles for carrying on the work 
required of these blood-making organs are of far 
more importance than strength of the external 
muscles. For this reason when the system is 
toned up by any means a beneficial change in the 
alimentary functions and excretions will always 
be noted. 

During a careful study extending over at least 
a quarter of a century of all health-building meth- 
ods, I have acquainted myself with numerous the- 
ories and remedies which have been applied in 

67 



ALIMENTARY CANAL 

accelerating alimentary activity. I am, in this 
chapter, presenting a new system or combination 
of means for strengthening and stimulating the 
alimentary functions which experience has proved 
to be of extraordinary value. This method has 
the advantage of directly affecting the organs in- 
volved, and results can be obtained speedily in 
virtually every instance. 

This system of alimentary stimulation can be 
roughly described as a combination of hot-water- 
drinking and a nerve-center-stimulating process. 
The best time for giving this method a thorough 
trial is immediately upon arising in the morning. 
It should not be attempted at any other time of 
the day, for it is especially important that the 
stomach should be free of any recently ingested 
food. 

All that is required to carry out this treatment 
is one or two quarts of boiling water, a minute 
quantity of salt, and a cup that will hold from 
one-half a pint to one pint of water. The sec- 
ond phase of this treatment is exercise and com- 
prises the series of movements illustrated in this 
work. Wherever possible these nerve-stimulat- 
ing exercises should be taken out-of-doors or be- 
fore an open window. If the weather is cold, 
you should wear enough clothing to maintain a 
satisfactory degree of warmth; if the weather is 
'arm, the less clothing worn the better. If the 
skin is especially inactive, or if it is suffering from 
a disease in which the eliminating process ordi- 

69 




70 



ALIMENTARY CANAL 

narily accelerated by a Russian or Turkish bath 
is of value, then wear heavy warm clothing while 
taking the treatment. A thick sweater is ad- 
vantageous under such circumstances. A pro- 
fuse perspiration will result, indicating a purify- 
ing process that is of special value when the sys- 
tem needs to be cleansed of the accumulated 
poisons which are the direct cause of nearly all 
diseases. 

If you are capable of taking about two quarts 
of water in the course of the exercise then each 
cup should contain nearly a pint, but if you can- 
not drink over one quart each cup should contain 
not more than half a pint. 

Before beginning the nerve-stimulating exer- 
cise drink the first cup of hot water, putting a 
pinch of salt in the bottom of the cup to take 
away the flat taste of the hot Water. Pour the 
cup half full of boiling water and then add cold 
water until it is sufficiently cool to be rapidly 
swallowed. Drink the water as hot as possible 
without sipping it. Now take exercises 11, 12 
and 14. Continue each one of these movements 
until a feeling of fatigue is noticed, after which 
you are ready for a second cup of hot water. 

Don't hurry. Don't continue any movement 
to exhaustion, though a feeling of local fatigue in 
the particular muscles concerned is desirable. 
This feeling, however, should entirely disappear 
after a rest of one or two minutes. 

After the second cup of hot water you are 

71 



u 


w^ 


^• - *nH 


BS 


91 






wH A 


. -$$ 





A chart or resume of Exercises 7 to 17, described in the chapters on The Spine and 

The Alimentary Canal. 

72 



ALIMENTARY CANAL 

ready for exercises 13, 7 and 8, whereupon you 
may take a third cup of hot water. You may 
then take exercises 15, 16 and 9, followed by an- 
other cup of hot water, and then exercises 17, 6 
and 10, and so on. 

While this is suggested as a general plan, it 
is not imperative that this order be followed 
strictly, for your individual requirements might 
be better suited by minor variations ; for instance, 
by two or four exercises between the intervals of 
hot-water-drinking. 

If you find your capacity is unequal to the 
quantity of hot water suggested, then simply take 
as much as you can without inconvenience or dis- 
comfort. Each day, however, while following 
this method you will find your hot-water-drink- 
ing capacity will increase, though as a rule, a 
person of average weight and height can take 
from one to two quarts without serious incon- 
venience. The hot-water-drinking together with 
the exercise will naturally very greatly increase 
the pulse, and where there is heart disease or any 
weakness of the heart this treatment must be 
taken with unusual care. In virtually every case 
this method will materially increase the strength 
of a weak heart, though there is naturally the pos- 
sibility of strain, and the treatment should be 
adapted to your strength in the beginning and 
very gradually increased week by week. 

Temporary attacks of constipation, where se- 
vere enough to need attention, can usually be 

73 



VITALITY SUP RE M E 

quickly remedied by this hot-water-drinking, 
nerve-stimulating method. Usually, if there is 
need for a movement of the bowels an instinc- 
tive and compelling desire will appear while 
taking the treatment or very shortly thereafter. 
If, however, you feel there is a necessity for 
such a movement and it does not appear, you 
can rest assured that the treatment has brought 
about sufficient benefit to excite the activity of 
the organs involved and that the desire will 
come later. In some very obstinate cases of con- 
stipation, or in serious temporary attacks of this 
difficulty, where a movement of the bowels is 
desired quickly, from one-quarter to one-half a 
level teaspoonful of salt can be added to each 
cup of hot water. This will in nearly all cases 
insure a speedy and satisfactory bowel move- 
ment. This, however, is not advised unless abso- 
lutely necessary. 

It is well to point out that this treatment in 
its extreme form can hardly be used with com- 
plete satisfaction by those who are below average 
strength. In any case, however, the drinking oi 
a small amount of hot water can be attempted 
and the exercises illustrated can be used, if one 
is careful not to make his efforts too severe. The 
hot-water-drinking process as well as the exer- 
cise must, however, be adapted to the require- 
ments of each individual, and it may be well in 
most cases to experiment two or three times be- 
fore following all of these suggestions in detail. 

74 



ALIMENTARY CANAL 

Where one is lacking in vital strength a begin- 
ning can be made by taking only two cups of hot 
water, using exercises 7, 8 and 9, which can be 
taken in a reclining position. 

One may continue in this way for a week or 
two, after which a third cup of hot water might 
be added. In this way one can gradually in- 
crease the amount of water consumed and the 
vigor and the amount of the exercise taken. 

Where there is a tendency toward rheumatism, 
gout, neuritis, neuralgia, or where there are any 
other symptoms indicating the accumulation of 
poisons or impurities in the system, it is advisable 
to use distilled water, though if this cannot be 
secured ordinary boiled water will be satisfactory. 
At least be sure to boil your water before using 
if it is heavily charged with mineral matter, since 
boiling tends to precipitate lime salts. In other 
words, hard water is not desirable in such cases. 

The hot-water-drinking regimen in itself has 
a decidedly beneficial effect upon the stomach 
and intestines. But much better results, espe- 
cially in the case of constipation, are secured 
when the special nerve-stimulating exercises rec- 
ommended are taken in connection with it. By 
this combination we obtain results that cannot be 
secured in any other way. In fact, stiffness, 
soreness and rheumatic "twinges" in various 
parts of the body are often removed with as- 
tounding rapidity through the help of this par- 
ticular treatment. The cleansing and eliminat- 

75 



VITALITY SUPREME 

ing functions are stimulated to an extraordinary 
extent by combining these two blood-purifying 
forces — hot-water-drinking and the stimulation of 
the nerve centers. 

This regimen is also a splendid means of in- 
creasing the weight in cases of defective assimi- 
lation. It seems to tone up the entire vital and 
functional system, in addition to directly influ- 
encing the digestive organs. The hot water 
alone tends to cleanse and empty very thoroughly 
the stomach and intestines, also to stimulate the 
secretion of the digestive juices. Those who are 
below normal weight chiefly because of poor as- 
similative powers are especially advised to give 
this method a thorough trial for a period of a few 
weeks. 

Again, if your complexion is sallow, dull, and 
"muddy," a remarkable improvement will speed- 
ily appear as a result of this treatment. In a 
recent case I observed a surprising change at 
the end of one week in a complexion that had 
been sallow and lifeless. The complexion in this 
instance not only assumed an improved color, 
but the tissues of the face were also filled out 
considerably, and when improvement is thus 
manifested on the surface you can well realize 
that the internal changes are even more pro- 
nounced. 

The devitalized condition of the various glands 
and structures in this part of the body is gradu- 
ally remedied by the improvement in the circu- 

76 



ALIMENTARY CANAL 

lation that comes with what might be termed a 
stimulating supply of liquids, and the same good 
result is accomplished, so far as the general cir- 
culation is concerned, in the welfare of the body 
as a whole. Those suffering from high blood 
pressure will find this treatment of unusual value, 
though great care should, of course, be taken to 
avoid any movements that are in any way ex- 
hausting or violent. When the blood is in a 
thick or viscous condition the use of the hot 
water adds to its fluidity, and it can then be 
forced more easily through the capillaries, thus 
greatly lessening the blood pressure. It is well 
known that a low blood pressure is conducive to 
endurance and to general health. And when 
these exercises especially advised for stimulating 
the nerve centers and for strengthening and vital- 
izing the spine are combined with a liberal use of 
hot water, the blood is forced through all the tis- 
sues, with the general effect of thoroughly cleans- 
ing all parts, in addition to immediately cleansing 
the alimentary canal. 

It is customary among athletes to use massage, 
or what is commonly called a "rub down," fol- 
lowing their exercise. The purpose of this is to 
increase the circulation and thereby to carry out 
of the muscles the fatigue-poisons that have ac- 
cumulated therein during the exercise. Now if 
a large amount of hot water is used in connec- 
tion with movements such as we are illustrating, 
this purpose will be even more thoroughly accom- 

77 



VITALITY SUPREME 

plished during the exercise itself, as the muscu- 
lar and other tissues are virtually flushed out 
owing to the more fluid character of the blood and 
its more ready and perfect circulation through all 
parts. One who feels stiff from severe exercise, 
or finds his tissues sore for other reasons, should 
be able to overcome this stiffness and gain a sense 
of refreshment through this method. 

Referring to the subject of elimination in the 
case of fatigue, I might say that some students 
have ascribed the feeling of fatigue at the end of 
the day's work to an accumulation of deposits 
within the walls of the arteries and veins, which 
deposits are ordinarily carried off during sleep. 
If this theory is true I can think of no simpler or 
more satisfactory method of removing this waste 
matter in the blood-vessels than this system of 
flushing them. For producing immediate results 
of any kind there is no other method so far as 
I know which is so effective as this if one has 
sufficient strength properly to use it. I have 
known cases in which a headache has been cured 
in a few minutes by sprinting or other violent 
exercise, and cases in which neuralgic toothaches 
and other pains have yielded to vigorous exer- 
cise continued for a prolonged period. I have 
also known the same relief to be obtained by 
drinking a liberal quantity of hot water, but in 
all such instances results would be more quickly 
and certainly secured through a combination of 
these stimulating forces. 

78 



ALIMENTARY CANAL 

To repeat for clearness and emphasis, the 
method outlined consists of the following: 

A combination of hot-water-drinking and spe- 
cially adapted movements for stimulating the 
nerve centers. 

Half a pint to a pint of hot water — as hot as 
can be drunk — to be taken on beginning the treat- 
ment immediately on arising in the morning. An 
additional quantity of hot water to be taken each 
five to ten minutes thereafter until from one to 
two quarts have been consumed. 

A large amount of clothing to be worn if pro- 
fuse perspiration is desired, though where an in- 
crease of weight is of advantage and no actual 
disease exists in the system, no more clothing 
should be worn than is necessary to maintain 
warmth. 

When a bowel movement is definitely needed, 
a complete and perfectly satisfactory evacuation 
is often brought about while taking this treat- 
ment. The cleansing process, however, will re- 
sult in a clearer brain and an improved physical 
as well as mental capacity, whether or not the 
bowels act immediately, and one can nearly al- 
ways depend upon a satisfactory movement 
later. 

When there is suffering from temporary at- 
tacks of constipation and immediate relief is de- 
sired, add from one-quarter to one-half a level 
teaspoonful of salt to each cup of hot water. 
Speedy results can be depended upon in virtually 

79 



VITALITY SUPREME 

every case. Another method of accomplishing 
the same thing is to continue the hot-water- 
drinking even beyond the two quarts suggested, 
adding no more than a small pinch of salt to 
each cup, as previously suggested. No harm 
will come from this excessive water-drinking if 
one is possessed of a normal amount of vigor. 

If one is athletic, jumping one to two hundred 
times, as when jumping a rope, just previous to 
moving the bowels is often of value in inducing 
a natural desire that in nearly all cases brings 
satisfactory results. 

Where it is difficult to take the amount of 
water prescribed, take as much as you con- 
veniently can, gradually increasing the quantity 
each day. 

This hot-water-drinking regimen is not neces- 
sarily recommended as a permanent measure 
to be continued every day for an indefinite period. 
When you feel that your physical status is sat- 
isfactory in every way, you can drop the method 
for a few days, after which it can be resumed as 
desired, though it would be of advantage to con- 
tinue taking the exercises each day, and if even 
one or two glasses of hot water are taken benefi- 
cial results would accrue. 



80 



CHAPTER VII 

Exercise for Vitality Building 

INACTIVITY is non-existence. It means 
death. Our bodily powers and organs were 
given to us for a definite purpose. Fail- 
ure to use them brings serious penalties. There 
can be no real health with physical stagnation. 
To be sure, we may point to some men possessing 
extraordinary vitality who, apparently, have 
lived without exercise. But a study of their 
habits of life will usually bring to light some form 
of muscular activity, even if it be nothing more 
than a moderate amount of walking. In some 
cases, such extraordinary vitality may be pos- 
sessed that health laws can be broken with ap- 
parent impunity, but it will usually be found 
that a vigorous constitution was developed in 
early youth from plenty of exercise. However, 
the failure to observe these important bodily re- 
quirements invariably means trouble before reach- 
ing the period at which old age begins. Though 
the average of human life has been greatly in- 
creased through the decline in infant mortality, 
the death rate among men of middle age has more 
than doubled in the past thirty years. And even 

7 81 



VITALITY SUPREME 

if those of exceptional vitality can neglect their 
physical requirements without suffering, the man 
of limited energy, who is trying to build vitality, 
certainly cannot afford to do so. 

We ought to take a reasonable amount of ex- 
ercise at intervals, regular or otherwise, in order 
to keep fully alive. It is not a case of exercise 
for the sake of muscular strength alone, but for 
the sake of health and life. There are many 
people who labor under the delusion that they 
are living without exercise, but existing does not 
mean living. To live in the full sense of the word 
means that you are thoroughly alive, and you 
positively cannot be thoroughly alive unless all 
the physical processes involved in the various 
functions of the body are active. Functional 
activity means pure blood, of superior quality, 
and when one fails to give the muscular system 
its proper use, the functions stagnate, the blood 
is filled with impurities of various sorts, and 
under such circumstances the body is not really 
alive. When the body is harboring an excessive 
number of dead cells and other waste material 
one cannot say that he is entirely alive. Under 
such conditions you are literally half dead and 
half alive. It is well known that the body is 
dying at all times. Minute cells that constitute 
the bodily tissues lose their vitality and life, and 
are taken up by the venous blood and carried to 
the various organs which take part in the work 
of elimination. Now these dead cells and minute 




From position illustrated strike straight to the front vig=> 
orously. Return to the first position and then strike down= 
ward vigorously. Return to first position, after which 
strike upward vigorously as far as you can reach. Repeat 
these three exercises, changing from one to the other until 
fatigued. 

83 




Bend far forward. When you have made the movement 
to the limit, twist the body far to the right and far to the 
left, after which return to the erect position. From erect 
position bend body far to the right. Now while in this 
position twist the body as far as possible in one direction 
and then in the other direction. Return to erect position, 
after which take the same exercise, bending the body far 
over to the side in the other direction. 

84 




From an erect position, bend the knees until you assume 
the attitude shown in the above photograph. Return to 
first position. Repeat until fatigued. 

85 



VITALITY BUILDING 

corpuscles linger in the tissues if one lives an 
inactive life. Therefore it is literally true that 
you are half dead if you do not give the muscular 
system its proper use. 

Physically the muscular system is such an im- 
portant part of the body that failure to keep it in 
good condition by failure to keep it active seri- 
ously affects all other parts. The greater part 
of the food we eat is consumed by the muscles. 
Most of the heat produced by the body is gen- 
erated in the muscles. Therefore to neglect 
this part of our organism means to disorganize, 
to a large extent, the workings of all other parts. 
The appetite, under such conditions, fails and 
the entire functional system loses tone. In 
fact, I may say that exercise is the first and 
most important of all the methods of building 
functional strength. When the muscles are ex- 
ercised the vital organs are energized and the 
activity of the entire functional system greatly 
increased — all clearly indicating that in taking 
physical exercise the internal organs are aroused 
and stimulated. 

Gigantic strength is not especially needed. It 
is not necessary for one to strive to eclipse the 
feats of famous strong men. Unusual muscular 
development is of no great value in this age, but 
a normal degree of strength is absolutely neces- 
sary in the struggle for health and vitality. No 
one should be satisfied with less than what might 
be regarded as a normal degree of strength, and 

87 




89 




90 



VITALITY BUILDING 

this, when once developed, can usually be retained 
by a moderate amount of exercise each day. 

Now it is not necessary to adopt some com- 
plicated system of exercise for giving the muscles 
the required activity. Your exercise can take 
the form of play. It may preferably be taken 
out-of-doors. But you must keep definitely in 
mind that the body was given you for active use, 
and some regular method must be adopted that 
will insure the activity required. 

The exercises referred to in the chapter on 
Outdoor Life may first of all be recommended. 
If you have no bodily defects any one of these 
outdoor sports will probably give your muscles 
all the exercise needed, but if you are suffer- 
ing from defects of any kind and you are de- 
sirous of remedying them some special exer- 
cises adapted to your individual needs should 
be taken with religious regularity. If you have 
a flat or sunken chest, if you are round-shoul- 
dered, if there is one shoulder higher than the 
other, if there is a spinal curvature, or if the 
muscles of the stomach or abdomen are weak, 
it will be necessary to give special attention to 
such parts through systematic movements in- 
tended to have a corrective influence. In another 
part of this volume various exercises have been 
illustrated that are especially recommended to 
those who are already in possession of ordinary 
strength. In this chapter I am illustrating a 
series of movements that have a similar object 

91 



VITALITY SUPREME 

in view, but which will be found far easier to 
perform. The exercises in this chapter are es- 
pecially adapted to those who are weak or ailing. 
They are designed, however, for the purpose of 
stimulating and strengthening the spine, which, 
as I have previously suggested, is the central 
source of vitality. The hot-water-drinking reg- 
imen referred to in the chapter on Cleansing 
the Alimentary Canal can also be used in con- 
nection with these exercises, though naturally if 
one is weak but a small quantity of water can be 
taken. 



92 



CHAPTER VIII 

How to Breathe 

VOLUMES have been written upon the 
value of breathing exercises. Many ex- 
aggerated statements have been made as to 
what can be accomplished through deep breath- 
ing. Nevertheless, it must be definitely under- 
stood that full, deep breaths, which expand the 
lungs to their fullest capacity, and are taken at 
frequent intervals, are of great value. 

Almost any vigorous exercise will enforce deep 
breathing, and there is no question as to the 
benefit of the involuntary or spontaneous inhala- 
tion and exhalation thus induced. Running and 
wrestling are types of very vigorous athletic ex- 
ercises that will compel one to breathe deeply and 
fully, and will insure a full lung development 
without special breathing exercises. And this is 
more especially true if much exercise of this char- 
acter is taken regularly, day after day, all the 
year round. 

But where the occupation and surroundings 
are such that one cannot indulge in such active 
pastimes, or where the time for such exercises 
is necessarily limited, frequent voluntary deep- 

93 



VITALITY SUPREME 



breathing exercises can be highly 
commended. About the best ex- 
ample of the proper use of the dia- 
phragm and the natural movement 
of the abdominal and dorsal region 
in correct breathing is illustrated 
in a small child. In nearly all 
cases an active healthy child will 
breathe properly, and by studying 
the movement of his abdomen in 
both standing and reclining po- 
sitions you will find that as the 
breath is inhaled the abdominal 
region will expand. When the 
breath is exhaled this part of the 
body will contract or be drawn in- 
ward. This demonstrates very 
conclusively that the movement or 
expansion of the body in natural 
breathing is abdominal, and that 
the bony framework of the chest 
should not be involved except when 
taking full deep breaths, or when 
breathing hard from the effects of 
very vigorous exercise. 

It is not at all necessary to go 
through a complicated system in 
order to learn proper methods of 
breathing, since this is compara- 
tively simple if you are willing to 
make persistent efforts day after 

94 



w/A 



± 

The dotted 
line shows the 
position of the 
abdomen after 
exhaling. The 
black line 
shows the po= 
sition with 
breath retained. 
In normal 
breathing the 
movement 
should be con= 
fined to the ab= 
domen. 



HOW TO BREATHE 

day until you are fittingly rewarded. If you 
simply acquire the habit of drawing in a deep full 
breath, at frequent intervals during the day, ex- 
panding first in the abdominal region, you will 
soon be able to breathe properly. A correct posi- 
tion of the body is very important, for if you 
have the proper erect posture, and have no con- 
stricting clothing about the waist and abdominal 
region, you will almost instinctively be inclined 
to breathe diaphragmatically, or abdominally, as 
we call it. Furthermore, when going out in the 
open air you will find as a result of this practice 
that you are unconsciously expanding in the 
proper manner as suggested. In fact, you will 
be more inclined to breathe freely and deeply at 
all times if a proper position is maintained. 

It is hardly necessary to mention the necessity 
for breathing pure air, and especially when tak- 
ing deep -breathing exercises, if you wish the very 
greatest results. Take these deep breaths when 
in the open air, or else before an open window. 
It is a good plan, for instance, when rising in the 
morning to stand before an open window and 
inhale perhaps a dozen full, complete breaths. 
This will help greatly to brush the cobwebs from 
your brain and brighten you up for the day's 
duties and responsibilities. 

All of these suggestions apply with equal 
force to both sexes. Because of the fashions of 
dress usually in vogue the breathing of women 
is much more restricted than that of men. 

95 




The figure to the left shows the position with the ab= 
domen drawn in when the breath is exhaled. The figure 
to the right shows the position when the abdomen is ex= 
panded by a full breath. In full diaphragmatic breathing, 
the movement should be confined to the abdominal region 
though deep breathing exercises expanding the chest to 
the fullest extent can be practiced with benefit. 

96 



HOW TO BREATHE 

Furthermore, they are generally less inclined to 
athletic pursuits involving exercise which compels 
deep breathing. 

The method of breathing recommended for 
women is absolutely identical with that suggested 
for men. It is a curious fact that until recent 
years the world generally, the medical profes- 
sion included, held the opinion that there is a 
fundamental difference between men and women 
in breathing. Observation of the natural breath- 
ing of boys and girls would soon prove the ab- 
surdity of this opinion. Owing to the universal 
use of the corset, thoracic breathing, or chest 
breathing, the result of the artificial constriction 
of the body at and below the waist line, appeared 
to be the natural method of breathing for women, 
whereas diaphragmatic breathing was recognized 
as proper and natural for men. Only in recent 
years have medical authorities recognized that 
this difference was really due only to artificial 
methods of dress and that natural breathing in 
women and men is absolutely the same. Re- 
cent fashions have permitted the enlargement of 
the waist line in women, but unfortunately there 
is still too much constriction of this important 
part of the body. When the world becomes more 
truly civilized and our methods of dress are based 
upon common sense and an intelligent under- 
standing of the physical requirements of the 
body, we may hope that the dress of women will 
be such as to permit entire freedom in the matter 

8 97 



VITALITY SUPREME 

of breathing, and the easy expansion of the body 
at the waist line. Some day women will learn 
the value of suspending skirts, stockings, etc., 
from the shoulders instead of relying upon the 
restriction at the waist as a means of support. 
If you wish to ascertain more exactly whether 
or not your breathing is entirely satisfactory, 
stand up, take a deep breath, and observe not 
only the expansion in the region of the stomach 
and abdomen but also at the sides and in the 
back. If you place the palms of your hands 
upon the lower ribs in the back, just above the 
waist line, you should feel the expansion of the 
body in this part pressing upward through the 
action of the diaphragm as a deep breath is in- 
haled. Also by pressing the hands upon the 
lower ribs at the sides, just above the waist line, 
you will feel the lateral expansion in this region 
at the same time that the expansion is noted in 
the front of the body. You will therefore realize 
that there should be an expansion of the lower 
ribs at the back and at the sides along with the 
expansion in the region of the stomach and ab- 
domen. Of course, when a very full breath is 
taken there will also be an expansion of the chest 
following the filling up of the lower part of the 
lungs. 



98 



CHAPTER IX 

Outdoor Life 

CIVILIZED man is an indoor animal. We 
no longer live in tree-tops nor even in 
caves, but in houses, and a great many of 
us spend the larger part of every year in close, 
ill-ventilated, overheated rooms. From a health 
viewpoint the cave-dweller would no doubt have 
the advantage over the average American who 
follows a sedentary occupation. The steam- 
heated apartments of our great cities are 
thoroughly aired only on rare intervals, and con- 
sequently those who reside therein often dry up 
in mind, soul and body along with the furniture. 

In order to live in every sense ( of the word we 
must become a part of the great outdoors. Out- 
door life adds to one's vitality and vigor. It in- 
creases one's energies and enthusiasms. You 
cannot be ambitious or vivacious, you cannot 
really amount to anything in life, if you are con- 
fined to an overheated flat. 

If there is any hobby that is worth while it is 
one that takes us out-of-doors. What the at- 
tractive features of your hobby may be, is not of 
very great importance provided this object is 

99 



VITALITY SUPREME 

secured. You must be lured away from your 
stuff y living rooms and encouraged to breathe the 
fresh, pure air of the open. 

There are out-of-door exercises of all sorts 
which are of great value, but even a seat in a 
motor car wherein your exercise is confined 
principally to increased respiration through the 
pleasure that comes with fast riding, is at least 
of some value. The health of the nation, as a 
whole, has been greatly improved by the auto- 
mobile through its encouragement of the outdoor 
life. But if you can join with your outdoor life 
some active exercise which will use all the muscles 
of the body the benefits will be much greater. 

There are various open-air pastimes that can 
be made unusually vigorous, and so can be highly 
recommended if one is possessed of ordinary 
strength. Football is perhaps one of the most 
strenuous of outdoor games, and is to be espe- 
cially advised where one has the vitality and en- 
durance which fits him for an exercise of this 
character. Golf is an example of a milder out- 
door pastime that is particularly suited to middle- 
aged and elderly persons, although young men 
and women are benefited by it, too. It affords 
excellent exercise in walking, and the swinging 
of the golf clubs affords more exercise for the 
chest, arms and back than is usually supposed. 
One who is not accustomed to the game will 
usually find the muscles of the arms, shoulders 
and chest sore or at least stiff from the unusual 

100 



OUTDOOR LIFE 



exercise when first attempting to play this game. 

Tennis furnishes a vigorous exercise that is 
especially commendable for adding to one's vital- 
ity. It is a good endurance builder. Tennis 
can be made as fast and energetic, or as leisurely 
and moderate as one wishes, depending entirely 
upon the skill, strength and ability of the player. 
Tennis is a safe and sane pastime that is growing 
in popularity, and can be universally recom- 
mended for both sexes and all ages. 

Rowing, running, cross-country work, track 
athletics, lacrosse, handball, hockey and polo are 
all splendid and vigorous games, well calculated 
to develop the best type of physical stamina. 
For those possessing the requisite strength they 
can all be highly recommended, though as a rule it 
is best not to specialize in any one of them but to 
secure as much variety as possible. Specializing 
in athletics may win championships and may 
stimulate interest in sports, but for the average 
man or woman specialization is not desirable. 
Even if you are only a "dub" instead of a cham- 
pion in each of these games, it is better to play 
them all, since you will thereby secure a well- 
rounded physical development, and also obtain 
the maximum of "fun." 

For those who are less rugged but who on that 
very account are all the more in need of open-air 
exercise there is a great variety of other less 
strenuous pastimes. Cycling and horseback rid- 
ing can be particularly recommended as enjoy- 

101 



VITALITY SUPREME 

able forms of outing in combination with a certain 
amount of exercise. Skating is an ideal pastime 
for the colder weather as it requires no special 
strength and adds to the vigor of the heart, lungs 
and other vital organs ; besides this, the brisk, cold 
air of the winter months is a tonic of great value. 
Snowshoeing, yachting, rope-skipping, canoeing, 
archery, croquet, coasting and various similar pas- 
times are all to be commended. 

Swimming is of great value, both as a means of 
physical development and as a health builder, 
but if your vitality is limited do not stay in the 
water too long. Swimming may be made mild 
or very strenuous. If you swim with the skill of 
an expert, only a very moderate exertion is re- 
quired, though some of the new racing strokes 
tax the strength and endurance of the strongest 
athlete. Swimming combines the pleasures of 
bathing and exercise, and under proper condi- 
tions is invaluable. Those who are "fleshy" can 
stay in the water a long time, but if you are "thin" 
take care lest you lose weight by too much bath- 
ing. The slender man or woman may take a 
daily swim for its tonic effect. It may even 
cause one to gain in weight if the exercise is not 
prolonged, but persons of this type usually lose 
weight in the course of a season of too much bath- 
ing. 

There is one point of special importance in 
connection with our exercise and that is to culti- 
vate the play spirit. You will never fully enjoy 

102 



OUTDOOR LIFE 



your sports and you will never obtain all possible 
benefit from them until you lose your dignity and 
learn how to play. Try to be glad that you are 
alive and able to play these games. One great 
drawback to American sports is the tendency to 
take them too seriously. There is too much of 
strained effort involved in the desire to win the 
game at any price. Keep yourself in a state 
of mind where you "see the fun." Though "play- 
ing to win" may be commended, the real purpose 
of any game is the fun and benefit that is secured 
therefrom whether you win or lose. There have 
been cases when members of a boat crew or a 
football team have actually cried over a lost game. 
Imagine the nerve strain involved in taking 
athletics so seriously ! It is splendid to win, but 
it should also be pleasurable to lose to a worthy 
antagonist. Do not take your games too seri- 
ously, but make them a laughing matter. Only 
by assuming this attitude can you get the great- 
est possible benefits that can be derived from 
games. The nature of your exercise does not 
matter so long as there is that increased activity 
of the heart, lungs and other organs which tends 
to improve the circulation throughout the entire 
body. The exercise must insure deep breathing, 
and if a certain amount of perspiration is in- 
duced it will be advantageous. First of all get 
out-of-doors; find some exercise that appeals, 
some alluring attraction which will take you away 
from the confinement of your home. Live as 

103 



VITALITY SUPREME 

much as you can in the open. If possible, try 
sleeping out-of-doors. Men and women of to- 
day may be aptly compared to sensitive plants. 
We are the devitalized product of the universal 
custom of coddling, and the less we live within 
four walls, and the more we breathe the free out- 
door air, the stronger, healthier and more capable 
we become. 

There is one outdoor exercise that we can 
all take without expense, and it is by far the best 
when everything is considered. At least this 
statement is true so far as the building of vitality 
and endurance is concerned. I refer to walking. 
This is an exercise that can be made decidedly 
vigorous if desired. And no matter what health- 
building regimen you may follow, a certain 
amount of walking is essential to maintaining the 
highest degree of physical vigor. 

Walking is a tonic of very great value to every 
one of the organic functions. It stimulates the 
activities of the purifying organs to an unusual 
degree. It is a remedy of great efficacy in over- 
coming constipation. It can be highly recom- 
mended for strengthening the heart, for stimu- 
lating the liver and kidneys, and it will tone up 
the physical organism throughout. 

Furthermore, this exercise is of unusual value 
as a mental stimulant. It clears the "cobwebs" 
from the brain. If you are bothered with vexing 
problems put them aside until you can take a 
long walk. With the improved quality of the 

104 



OUTDOOR LIFE 



blood and the more active circulation of this func- 
tional tonic, your mental efficiency will be greatly 
increased. You will think more quickly; your 
conclusions will be clearer, more definite and 
more dependable. I know a successful novelist 
who depends very largely upon his long walks 
for working out the themes and plots of his 
stories. I have frequently followed the same 
plan in connection with my own work. I know 
of other writers who depend upon this method of 
gaining inspiration. I have been told that chop- 
ping wood is mentally stimulating, and also that 
horseback riding and cycling are sometimes help- 
ful in this direction, but walking is without doubt 
the most effective mental stimulant to be found 
out-of-doors. It accelerates the circulation, and 
seems to arouse the vital forces of the body, but 
does not require such an expenditure of energy 
as to prevent the brain from being exceptionally 
active. 

Now to secure the real benefits that come from 
walking there should be no laziness about it. Do 
not walk as though you were on a fashion parade. 
The Sunday afternoon stroll on the city streets 
may be very alluring, but you cannot under such 
circumstances secure the real benefits that may 
be found in walking. If possible go out on the 
country roads or walk across the fields. Put a 
certain amount of energy into your every step. 
Walk briskly and as though you enjoyed it, and 
you will discover that you do enjoy it. Even if 

105 



VITALITY SUPREME 

your first few steps require an unusual effort on 
your part, "step lively" just the same, and you 
will shortly find that you feel lively, too. A walk 
of this sort into which you put real energy in 
every step is a tonic of amazing value. It will 
stir up your entire organism. It will insure an 
active functioning, and make you feel and be 
thoroughly alive. If you have the added ad- 
vantage that comes from pure country air you 
are to be envied. But even without these su- 
perior advantages, even if your route is confined 
to city streets, some benefit will still result from 
taking the walk tonic. 

While walking give special attention to my 
suggestions concerning breathing. Breathe 
deeply and fully at frequent intervals. Expand 
the body in the abdominal region. If you like, 
you can carry your breathing still farther and 
allow this expansion to extend to the chest walls, 
though as a rule, this is not necessary. No doubt 
one of the most valuable suggestions for strength 
and vitality building while walking is to take at 
frequent periods several movements which are 
referred to in the chapter on Thyroid Stimula- 
tion, namely, the chin-in-downward-and-back- 
ward motion while holding a full breath with 
abdomen fully expanded. In fact this idea, if 
carried out until the muscles of the back of the 
neck are fatigued at the completion of the walk, 
will energize you mentally and physically. A 
suggestion that I have often offered in various 

106 



OUTDOOR LIFE 



articles upon this subject is to practice what I 
may term harmonious or rhythmic breathing, 
which I regard as of exceptional value. By this 
I mean taking the same amount of time to draw 
in the breath as you do to exhale it, keeping 
time with a certain number of steps. For in- 
stance, while taking eight steps, draw in a breath 
and exhale during the next eight steps. You 
may make this six, eight, ten or twelve steps 
if you like. If you have some piece of music 
in mind that carries with it a rhythm that ac- 
commodates itself to your steps while walking, 
and if each inhalation and exhalation takes up 
an even number of steps, you will find that you 
are swinging along with a sense of harmony 
and pleasure that will make distances pass away 
and cause you to be unconscious of the length of 
your walk. This rhythmic or harmonious breath- 
ing is an excellent means of cultivating the deep- 
breathing habit. 

Another exercise is of material value in con- 
nection with the practice of deep breathing while 
walking, serving especially to stimulate the diges- 
tive and other internal organs. This consists in 
holding a fairly full breath for a series of four, 
six or eight steps, and at the same time expand- 
ing the body still further in the region of the 
stomach. This is accomplished largely through 
the action of the diaphragm and the muscles 
across the front of the body in the region of the 
stomach. This should be executed with a sort 

107 



VITALITY SUPREME 

of pumping motion, that is to say by a series of 
alternate contractions and relaxations rapidly 
following each other. Expand the region of the 
stomach by this muscular effort for an instant, re- 
lax, repeat, and continue in that way several times 
during the course of the six or eight steps during 
which you hold the breath. Then exhale freely 
and after one or two breaths repeat. This has 
the effect of massaging, as it were, the internal 
organs, and is of material value in bringing about 
improved functioning, as well as strengthening 
these parts. 

If you can find an opportunity to go camping 
there is no better way in which to spend a vaca- 
tion. Everyone knows that a term of two or 
three weeks in the woods or by the side of a lake, 
living out-of-doors to some extent after the man- 
ner of primitive man, and getting a certain 
amount of pleasurable exercise with the con- 
tinuous fresh air, will work wonders. 

But if camping for a short period is beneficial, 
then a part of each day in the open air during the 
summer is well worth while; therefore try to 
"camp out" for two or three hours each evening. 
If you are through work at five o'clock, for in- 
stance, enjoy a picnic dinner in the open, instead 
of a regular supper in the dining-room of your 
home. It is daylight until almost eight o'clock 
during most of the summer, and this plan would 
yield two or three hours of open-air life. Or 
take advantage of part of this time, before sup- 

108 



OUTDOOR LIFE 



per, to go rowing, or swimming, to play some 
game, such as tennis, or to do anything else that 
will occupy you pleasantly for an hour or two in 
the open air. At least you can always take a 
good walk. If you go to bed at a reasonable 
hour you can probably rise early enough to per- 
mit a walk of one or two hours, or some other 
open-air activity, before going to work. If your 
work is in an office where you will be confined all 
day this advice is especially important. When 
your office hours begin at eight or nine o'clock in 
the morning you should imbibe as much fresh air 
as possible before work, if only by walking part 
or all the way to your place of business. Be 
in the open air as much as you can. Many peo- 
ple think they are too busy for this. They 
make the plea of lack of time, but when illness 
appears they have plenty of time to stay in bed. 
The open-air man or woman "side-steps" sick- 
ness. Since superabundant vitality can be ob- 
tained through open-air life, spend as much time 
as you can out-of-doors. Cultivate the outdoor 
habit. It will increase your efficiency so that you 
will do better work in less time. 



109 



CHAPTER X 

Strengthening the Stomach 

ONE of the first requirements in vitality 
building is strengthening the stomach. 
Within the stomach we find the beginning 
of all vital blood-making processes. Here is 
where the food first passes through the changes 
essential to create the life-building fluid called the 
blood. We therefore cannot exaggerate the im- 
portance of strength to this important organ. 

When referring to a strong stomach, I do not 
mean strength in the abdominal muscles lying 
immediately in front of the stomach; I mean 
strength of the muscles within the walls of the 
stomach itself, which, to a large extent, actually 
constitute the stomach. These layers of muscu- 
lar fibres which assist in carrying on important 
parts of the digestive processes, must be strong 
if digestion is to be satisfactory in every way. 

Now the work of strengthening the stomach 
does not, by any means, consist wholly of ex- 
ercise. The stomach in order to be strengthened 
must have a due amount of intelligent considera- 
tion at all times. For instance, you cannot make 
a garbage can of your stomach and expect to 

no 



THE STOMACH 



increase the strength of the organ. It is really 
necessary, if you are seriously desirous of secur- 
ing the best results in vitality building, to learn 
at least the fundamental facts relating to rational 
dietetics ; and, after acquiring this knowledge, to 
apply it to your individual use throughout every 
day of your life. The suggestions that I have 
offered in the chapter on Cleansing and Stimulat- 
ing the Alimentary Canal are truly of extreme 
importance in these strengthening processes. In 
fact in every instance this plan will increase the 
assimilative strength, and will enable you to 
create a better quality of blood; and this result 
in turn naturally aids in strengthening the stom- 
ach itself as well as all other parts of the body. 
Furthermore, this is a method for cleansing 
directly not only the organ itself but the various 
glands which furnish the digestive juices. 
Therefore, if difficulties are frequently presented 
in connection with the functions of this organ, 
special attention should be given to the elemental 
cleansing and strengthening processes as out- 
lined in the chapter referred to. 

There are various special exercises which will 
have a certain influence upon the stomach be- 
cause of their mechanical stimulation of this 
organ. All bending and twisting movements of 
the trunk of the body will naturally stimulate the 
action of the stomach because of their direct 
mechanical effect. All movements of this sort 
are naturally valuable under the circumstances, 

m 



VITALITY SUPREME 

though for a short time after a meal any exercise 
that is so severe as to interfere with digestion 
should be avoided. Such interference results 
when the muscles are used to such an extent that 
they require greatly increased quantities of blood 
at a time when a plentiful supply is needed by 
the stomach to carry on the work of digestion. 
All my readers no doubt already understand the 
necessity for giving the digestive organs every 
opportunity to carry on their processes for at 
least one hour after a hearty meal. Bending and 
body-twisting movements are valuable one hour 
or more after a meal for strengthening the stom- 
ach, but they interfere with digestion if taken 
immediately thereafter. For increasing the 
vigor of this most important organ I would es- 
pecially recommend the method already referred 
to for cleansing the alimentary canal and also 
the exercises which are given in connection there- 
with in the same chapter. If one is not in pos- 
session of a fair amount of strength I would sug- 
gest merely the exercises illustrated in Chapter 
VII to be taken in conjunction with the morn- 
ing hot-water-drinking regimen. 

It should be remembered, however, that for 
the strengthening of the stomach one must really 
depend most of all upon a proper diet and the 
care of the stomach generally, rather than upon 
any system of exercises intended to invigorate 
this organ. 

To build up a strong stomach a daily plan of 
112 



THE STOMACH 



life must be followed which requires of the entire 
body a normal amount of activity, thus demand- 
ing and using a fairly liberal supply of nourish- 
ment. An active life is always favorable to good 
digestion, and especially so if it is an out-of-door 
life for at least a large part of each day, for then 
an appetite is created demanding of the stomach 
that healthy activity essential to strength build- 
ing; in other words, an active and normal life 
generally is essential to the maintenance of a 
strong and healthy stomach. The body must be 
regarded not as an aggregation of parts, but as 
one complete unit, and anything that affects all 
parts affects each separate part. It is quite true 
that when the stomach is weakened from any 
cause, it is not wise to overtax it by the ingestion 
of foods that are difficult to digest. But at the 
same time a policy of using predigested foods, 
or others that are suited only to a weak stomach, 
is not likely to develop a vigorous digestion. 
It is essential that one should use a proper supply 
of natural and wholesome foods properly pre- 
pared. If this is done and the general rules of 
rational dietetics are observed, there is no reason 
why any one should not enjoy the possession of 
a strong stomach and a vigorous digestion. I 
cannot, however, place too much emphasis upon 
the value of outdoor life and general activity and 
the constitutional benefits that go with them for 
improving the stomach as well as all other parts 
of the body. 

9 113 



CHAPTER XI 

Preserving the Teeth 

HEALTH to a large extent depends upon 
the teeth. Food can not be properly 
masticated without sound molars. The 
modern tendency of teeth to decay early in life 
clearly proves that something is wrong with our 
dietetic or chewing habits. 

Like any other part of the body, the teeth 
must be exercised in order to be properly pre- 
served. Our foods are so frequently macerated 
to a fine consistency and they are so often cooked 
to a mush before they are eaten, that the teeth 
have little to do. They decay and become soft 
or brittle because of lack of use. 

It is necessary to give the teeth a reasonable 
amount of regular use. Cultivate the habit of 
eating zwieback, hard crackers or other hard 
food substances that require real vigorous chew- 
ing. If this is difficult, then make a habit of ex- 
ercising the teeth in some way. The idea sug- 
gested in the illustrations accompanying this 
chapter will be found of value, though any 
method can be recommended that serves the same 
purpose. Do not, however, depend upon the 

114 



PRESERVING THE TEETH 

chewing of gum for hours each day as a means 
of exercising the teeth. Chewing a hard gum 
for a few minutes after a meal might be of ad- 
vantage, but continual gum-chewing wastes and 
weakens the digestive elements of the saliva. In 
other words, if you sit down to a meal after chew- 
ing gum for two or three hours, the saliva that 
you mix with your food will not have the normal 
digestive elements. One might say that the 
"strength" of the saliva has been lost while chew- 
ing gum. 

If your teeth are decayed the offending mem- 
bers should be removed or the cavities filled. It 
is always wise to retain every tooth you can until 
extraction is practically compulsory. Decayed 
teeth should be filled promptly. As long as a 
tooth can be filled it should not be extracted. A 
good dentist should be consulted at frequent in- 
tervals. 

If tartar has collected on the teeth, it should 
be removed by a competent dentist. One good 
method of keeping the teeth free from tartar is to 
rub the gums and teeth daily with table salt con- 
taining considerable grit. Dampen the finger, 
place a quantity of table salt thereon and then 
rub the teeth where they meet the gums. Make 
the process sufficiently vigorous to rub off any 
tartar that may have accumulated. The mouth 
should be rinsed with moderately warm water 
immediately after this process to remove the salt. 
Any good tooth wash that is sold in the form of 

115 



VITALITY SUPREME 

paste can be used instead of salt for this same 
purpose. This rubbing process is of more value 
to strengthen the gums and to cleanse the teeth 
than brushing the teeth with an ordinary tooth 
brush. 




Illustrating how the toothbrush should be used. Brush 
the upper teeth downward from the gums and the lower 
teeth upward from the gums. When the teeth are brushed 
in this manner the bristles enter the crevices and cleanse 
the teeth more thoroughly. 



Tooth brushes, however, are valuable and 
should be used morning and evening. In caring 
for the teeth the following plan is suggested: 

Soon after rising rinse the mouth out thor- 
oughly with a mild antiseptic tooth wash; soap, 
or salt and water, is fairly good if nothing better 

116 



PRESERVING THE TEETH 

can be obtained. Plain water will also serve the 
purpose. Lemon juice to which considerable 
water has been added, also makes a good mouth 
wash. Orange juice can also be recommended. 




Illustrating a splendid method of massaging the gums 
with the thumb and first finger. Press the upper gums 
downward against the teeth and the lower gums upward 
against the teeth. This massage process is especially ad= 
vised when using an antiseptic mouth wash. 

It may be said that most of the standard tooth 
powders and tooth pastes on the market at the 
present time are fairly reliable and satisfactory, 
particularly those of which the formula is printed 

117 



VITALITY SUPREME 

on the wrapper. When brushing the teeth, 
avoid using a brush with the bristles too hard. 
A medium- or even a soft-bristle brush is prefer- 
able. The lateral action of the tooth brush, com- 
monly used, is of limited value. One should use 
a vertical or up-and-down movement, so that the 
bristles will reach the crevices between the teeth. 
It is the spaces between the teeth that particu- 
larly need cleaning and the brush should be used 
in such a way as to reach these. It is here that 
decay usually begins. 

After having brushed the teeth then rub them 
in the manner previously described. Spend two 
or three or even four or five minutes at this rub- 
bing process. If the teeth are free from tartar 
do not use the salt more than once or twice 
weekly, though any good tooth paste could be 
used daily to advantage, not for brushing the 
teeth, mind you, but for rubbing the gums and 
teeth. 

For removing accumulated food substances 
from between the teeth silk or linen floss can be 
recommended. Holding the thread between the 
fingers of each hand force it down between two 
teeth and bring it back and forth. If you have 
no regular dental floss, use any white silk thread 
for the purpose. It does not do one much good 
to brush the teeth if he does not remove decaying 
and acid-forming matter from between the teeth. 
The use of dental floss is fully as important as 
the use of a tooth brush. Where Rigg's disease, 

118 



PRESERV ING THE TEETH 

or pyorrhea, is present, an antiseptic can be used 
to advantage two or three times daily after rub- 
bing or washing the teeth. Massage of the gums 
may prove helpful, if gently applied, though in 




Illustrating the use of silk floss for removing the debris 
from between the teeth. Force the floss between each of 
the teeth and pull it forward and backward until all foreign 
matter has been removed from between the teeth. 



a serious case of pyorrhea a fasting and general 
blood-purifying regimen is advisable. 

The condition of the teeth is influenced to a 
large extent by the state of the stomach. Where 
the digestion is perfect, the breath free from all 



119 



VITALITY SUPREME 













|>v 








! Htk"''*«i 










^T]Jb? •%"»"*i 




i***» 




ijrt 1 f^i 


"'% 












^^ 





Showing how a small towel can be 
folded until it is the width of the 
mouth. This towel can then be used 
with splendid effect for exercising the 
teeth. 



foul odors, the 
teeth are less 
liable to decay 
and tartar 
rarely accumu- 
lates. Where 
there is any 
stomach disor- 
der, however, 
very great care 
must be taken 
to avoid a num- 
ber of unpleas- 
ant symptoms 
associated with 
the gradual de- 
terioration of 
the teeth. If 
the various 
suggestions I 
have made in 
this volume 
for maintain- 



ing superior 
health are fol- 
lowed with a reasonable amount of care, and 
the tooth brush is used regularly, in addition to 
proper attention being given to thorough mas- 
tication, the teeth should be retained as long as 
there is use for them. Remember, however, the 
very important suggestion made in another chap- 

120 



PRESERVING THE TEETH 



ter in reference to the value of fruit acid in 
cleansing the mouth and teeth. If you will rinse 
the mouth out at frequent intervals with the juice 
of an orange or 
eat part or all of 
an orange, you will 
be surprised at the 
cleansing influence 
of this acid fruit. 
Almost any acid 
fruit will be of 
value, but the or- 
ange is perhaps 
the best for this 
purpose. The free 
use of water to 
insure alimentary 
cleanliness togeth- 
er with the acid 
fruit habit will 
form a very supe- 
rior insurance for 
our teeth. 

Finally, and of 
not least impor- 
tance, the charac- 
ter of the diet has a 
great influence on 
the teeth. You 
cannot keep the 
teeth sound and 




Illustrating the use of the 
folded towel. After having folded 
the towel, firmly grip the teeth 
upon one end of the towel very 
tightly. While gripping the towel 
tightly in this manner you can 
pull upward and downward, to 
left and right. If these teeth 
exercises are taken with a certain 
amount of regularity, they should 
be of unusual benefit. 

121 



VITALITY SUPREME 

strong if the foods you eat do not contain the ma- 
terial out of which teeth are built. If the food 
elements that build teeth and bone are lacking, 
you cannot expect the teeth to last long. A great 
hue and cry has been raised about the poor teeth 
of the school children of to-day, and an effort is 
being made to teach the children to brush their 
teeth. Of course this is good as far as it goes, but 
it does not go far when the children are fed upon 
a diet that is defective. When you find the child 
of a poor family given a diet of little more than 
white bread and coffee you can absolutely depend 
upon it that his teeth are crumbling and decay- 
ing. No other result is possible, no matter if the 
greatest of care is used to keep the teeth well 
brushed and clean. 

Therefore, my remarks in another chapter 
upon the influence of refined foods will apply 
particularly in the case of the teeth. A satisfac- 
tory supply of lime in the diet is especially nec- 
essary for building teeth and bone. Whole- 
wheat bread will supply the material for build- 
ing sound teeth, while oatmeal and other whole 
grain foods are almost equally satisfactory for 
this purpose. 

Some women lose their teeth rapidly as a re- 
sult of pregnancy, because the diet upon which 
they live is really a starvation diet so far as these 
important elements are concerned. Eggs are 
rich in lime and elements required for building 
strong teeth, while vegetables and fruits in their 

122 



PRESERVING THE TEETH 

natural state are valuable in this way. Good 
milk is of value for its supply of lime and other 
organic minerals in the case of young children. 
Furthermore, all natural foods that provide good 
exercise for the teeth through the necessity for 
mastication are valuable on this account for 
strengthening the teeth, as I have already said. 
Dentistry is one of our most useful profes- 
sions. But there would be need for few dentists 
if the suggestions given in this chapter were 
closely followed by men, women and children 
the whole country over. One may have strong 
teeth in practically every instance, as a result of 
proper care and suitable diet, just as he may 
have strong muscles, strong organs and strong 
nerves. 



123 



CHAPTER XII 

How to Eat 

CIVILIZATION has brought with it a 
train of evils unknown in the natural life. 
There is no need, for instance, to tell a 
wild animal what to eat; his life is planned for 
him in advance. His food is supplied by Nature 
and not superabundantly, so he is compelled to 
eat it in a manner to secure the greatest amount 
of vital vigor therefrom. Hunger controls his 
eating, and therefore he always enjoys his food. 
If we were to eliminate many of the mechanical 
processes involved in the preparation of our 
foods, there would be little or no necessity for 
instruction in eating, for, if we ate our food in a 
natural state, we would be compelled to masti- 
cate it, and this is the fundamental requirement 
of healthy digestion. 

Just here let me point out the importance of 
appetite. A food cannot possibly be of benefit 
unless it is thoroughly enjoyed. It must taste 
good. The more delicious a food tastes the 
more quickly and advantageously it will di- 
gest. The idea is frequently advanced that 
dieting must necessarily be unpleasant, for many 
think that a "diet" must consist of food that can- 

124 



HOW TO EAT 



not possibly be eaten with enjoyment. This is 
a great mistake. Diet of this character would 
indeed bring about harmful results in nearly 
every instance. The diet which will be of the 
most value is that which you can enjoy, confining 
your selection, of course, to wholesome articles 
of food. I cannot emphasize too strongly the 
extreme necessity for the enjoyment of your 
meals. Do not under any circumstance ignore 
the demands of your taste in selecting your diet. 

Your food must be thoroughly masticated as 
well as thoroughly enjoyed. This chewing 
should continue until the food becomes a liquid /C 
and actually passes down your throat involunta- 
rily. Food should never be swallowed hastily. 
Swallowing should be an unconscious process as- 
sociated with enjoyment; with a view to prolong- 
ing the pleasure of eating, each mouthful should 
be retained in the mouth until it is swallowed be- 
fore you realize it. Thorough mastication is ab- 
solutely necessary to the attainment of the very 
important requirements connected with the com- 
plete enjoyment of foods. 

Now note the effect of prolonged enjoyment 
of food upon the digestive processes. When one 
is masticating an appetizing meal the digestive 
system is being prepared for the reception of this 
meal. The various glands of the stomach that 
perform such important work in digestion begin 
to pour their juices into the stomach; conse- 
quently when the food reaches this organ every- 

125 



VITALITY SUPREME 

thing is ready for its reception. To begin with, 
as a result of thorough mastication and the action 
of the saliva, the food is already partly digested, 
and the stomach is ready to continue the proc- 
ess. The work is easy and satisfactory under 
such circumstances, and digestion continues un- 
consciously. You do not realize that you have 
a stomach. How often one hears a healthy man 
say that he has ho conscious knowledge of the 
possession of such an organ ! In other words, he 
has never had a pain or other unpleasant symp- 
tom located in its region. It is said on the 
other hand that the dyspeptic is so continuously 
and unpleasantly aware of the existence of this 
organ that he often thinks he is "all stomach." 

Remember also the importance of a suitable 
mental attitude at meal-time. Your mind should 
be occupied almost entirely with the pleasure of 
the meal itself. You should not be seriously di- 
verted in any way. If for instance you are 
reading a newspaper or carrying on an engross- 
ing conversation you are directly interfering with 
the digestive processes; for, as I have already 
said, a thorough enjoyment of the food is neces- 
sary to arouse to their greatest activity the glands 
which furnish the digestive juices. Therefore, 
when meal-time comes around, devote yourself 
to the one single purpose of getting as much en- 
joyment as possible out of your food. 

If you are desirous of catching a train, do not 
make the mistake of bolting a meal. Eat when 

126 



HOW TO EAT 



you arrive at your destination, or eat on the train, 
when you can have the leisure to enjoy your food. 
Remember that, with eating as with work, it is 
not how much but how well. If your time is 
limited it is better to eat only a small amount, and 
eat it properly, than to attempt to eat a large 
meal hurriedly. 

Especially do not eat when you are angry or 
worried; do not allow anything to distract you 
at meal- time. If anything comes up that seri- 
ously mars your ability to enjoy your food it is 
far better to delay your meal or wait until the 
next meal, or until you can eat in accordance with 
these requirements. 

There can be no objection to light conversa- 
tion, which requires no special amount of mental 
energy or concentration; in other words, any 
deviation can be recommended which does not 
seriously interfere with the enjoyment of your 
meal. Music, for instance, if it is of a gentle, 
soothing character, or entertainment of any kind 
that is relaxing, is a helpful form of recreation. 
The "cabaret," if not carried to an extreme, is 
therefore a natural, well-founded institution. 
Congenial company is also naturally advan- 
tageous in helping one to enjoy his meals. 

There has been much controversy as to whether 
or not one should drink during a meal. I have 
at all times condemned the usual habit of drink- 
ing at meal-time for the purpose of washing down 
food that is eaten hastily. For instance, it is 

127 



VITALITY SUPREME 

not at all unusual with many people to take three 
or four mouthfuls of food, hastily swallow them, 
and then find a certain amount of liquid essential 
to avoid choking. I cannot too emphatically 
condemn a habit of this sort. I do, however, rec- 
ommend the use of liquids during a meal when 
they are necessary to satisfy thirst. Further- 
more, it is of considerable importance to take 
some liquid during a meal if one is not in the 
habit of drinking freely of water between meals, 
since a Certain amount of liquid is necessary to 
carry on the digestive process. When there is 
any digestive difficulty or when there is merely a 
/weak digestion, hot water can be used to great 
advantage fifteen minutes or a half -hour before 
the meal. Taking hot water in this manner 
cleanses the stomach and adds materially to the 
digestive capacity by stimulating the glands of 
the stomach. The quantity of water taken in 
this way may range from half a pint to a quart, 
depending upon one's physical condition. The 
amount of liquid taken during a meal must 
also be regulated by one's needs. For instance, 
if you are poorly nourished and apparently need 
more weight properly to round out your body, 
then an additional amount of liquid will often be 
of advantage, provided you do not take so much 
as actually to interfere with digestion. Where 
increased bodily tissue is needed, therefore, in 
virtually every instance the free use of water 
during the meal will be of decided value ; though 

128 



HOW TO EAT 



one should always keep in mind the necessity of 
drinking these liquids warm or even hot if tak- 
ing any quantity. 

The use of a large amount of cold water at 
meal-time is likely to be detrimental. There is 
a wide-spread custom of drinking ice-water dur- 
ing the meal. This is one of the most pernicious 
of all dietetic errors, since chilling of the stom- 
ach invariably retards digestion and favors dys- 
pepsia. Even water that is very cold, though 
not iced, is not desirable, unless used in very 
small amounts. Also the use of ice-water or ex- 
tremely cold water between meals is inadvisable, 
since because of its low temperature one cannot 
comfortably drink enough of it to satisfy com- 
pletely his bodily requirements. Water that is 
only moderately cold or cool can be used liber- 
ally, and is always to be preferred in the case 
of overheating through violent exercise. It is 
usually advisable to drink water at the tempera- 
ture that is most pleasant to you, though large 
quantities of cold water should always be avoided. 
And, as I have said, at meal-time, especially, if 
much water or other liquids are used they should 
be either warm or hot. 

Without question, the greatest of all dietetic 
errors is to eat without appetite. It is nothing 
less than a crime against the stomach, and yet 
this practice is one of the most common of all 
those which contribute to the prevalence of dys- 
pepsia in civilized communities. No animal, the 

10 129 



VITALITY SUPREME 

human race excepted, would attempt to eat with- 
out the relish that absolutely depends upon the 
possession of a keen appetite. Many thousands 
of people attempt to eat their meals regularly 
without regard to the demands of hunger merely 
because it is "meal-time." Eating in such cases 
has only the excuse of habit, although frequently 
it is regarded as a duty. Eating should never 
be regarded as a duty, nor should it be allowed to 
become a habit, for when not pleasurable it is not 
beneficial. 

One will often hear the remark that one must 
"eat to keep up his strength." While this ad- 
vice is fundamentally sound in a large sense un- 
der normal conditions and when a true appetite 
is present, yet there never was a greater de- 
lusion when it is applied to forced eating when 
the appetite is lacking. Eating under such con- 
ditions does not keep up one's strength, but on 
the contrary actually impairs it by burdening the 
digestive system with food that cannot be prop- 
erly assimilated. It is not what you eat but 
what you assimilate that keeps you strong, and 
digestion depends upon appetite and the enjoy- 
ment associated therewith. The question of en- 
joyment is really a question of appetite, and if 
you are not hungry and cannot relish the food 
keenly when meal-time comes it is certainly best 
to wait until the next meal or until you are hun- 
gry. Every wild animal has sense enough to 
follow its natural inclination in this respect, but 

130 



HOW TO EAT 



thousands of human beings go to the table be- 
cause it is dinner-time, and force themselves to 
eat food that they do not desire simply because of 
the stupid delusion that continual and frequent 
eating is necessary for strength. 

The discussion of appetite brings up the ques- 
tion of the number of meals that is proper for 
each day. The prevailing system of three meals 
per day is a custom surviving from a time in 
which early rising and hard physical labor 
throughout a long day was the rule, especially 
in connection with out-of-door work. This does 
not mean, however, that three meals is always 
the best plan for civilized life in sedentary oc- 
cupations. There are some wild races that eat 
only two meals per day, and there have been in- 
stances of hunters and even whole populations 
following the one-meal-per-day plan. Naturally 
at the present time the occupation and the re- 
quirements of the individual would have much to 
do with the question. If one does hard work, has 
an appetite for three meals per day, and seems 
to thrive on that plan, it is the preferable one. 
If, however, you are a sedentary worker, and es- 
pecially if you do not have an appetite for three 
meals per day and cannot thoroughly enjoy them, 
the two-meal-per-day plan would be much better. 
The two-meal-per-day plan has often proven 
beneficial even when associated with the strenu- 
ous physical training required for athletic com- 
petition in racing, wrestling, boxing, Marathon 

131 



VITALITY SUPREME 

running and other vigorous sports. It is entirely 
a question of appetite. If you have no appetite 
for breakfast then follow the two-meal-per-day 
plan. I will say, however, that in many cases one 
Y- can enjoy and profit by a breakfast of fruit. 

The question of how to eat is closely related 
to the question of how many meals one should 
take. Overeating is a very prevalent failing. 
There is no question that large numbers eat 
themselves, as it were, into a condition of stupor. 
Their energies are required for the disposal of 
the excessive quantity of food ingested, and they 
have no energy left for mental work or for phys- 
ical activity. They are, so to speak, "food 
drunk." I am personally satisfied that the best 
cure for overeating is food in less frequent 
meals and the practice of masticating the food 
thoroughly in the manner that I have suggested. 
In a case of this kind the two-meal-per-day plan 
is also to be recommended. Actual experience 
shows that those inclined to overeat do not eat 
any more at one meal when eating two meals 
than when eating three meals — they may possi- 
bly eat less, because of the more normal condition 
of the stomach. Another good plan to pursue is 
the use of uncooked foods, or at least the adop- 
tion of a' diet consisting in part of uncooked 
foods. It is entirely possible to eat too little of 
nourishing food, just as it is to eat too much. 
But one who lives a natural and active life, espe- 
cially if out-of-doors a fair part of the time, is 

132 



HOW TO EAT 



not likely to lack a good appetite nor to eat less 
than the required amount. Good general health 
always brings with it a normal appetite. 

Overeating, however, is no doubt in many 
cases due very largely to the inadequate charac- 
ter of the foods consumed. I am satisfied that 
if all our foods were eaten in their natural con- 
dition and if they perfectly supplied the needs of 
the body there would be no tendency toward 
overeating. The great trouble is that conven- 
tional methods of food preparation have such a 
destructive effect upon the nutritive value of the 
foods in common use that a healthy body often 
craves large quantities of diverse foods in order 
to get a sufficiency of certain elements which are 
lacking. The use of white bread is a case in 
point, for, as stated in another chapter, the best 
part of the wheat has been eliminated in the proc- 
ess of milling. Furthermore, to a large extent 
the mineral salts are removed from our vegetables 
in the process of boiling; that is to say, when 
the water in which they were boiled is thrown 
away. The polishing of rice, the use of white 
flour in manufacturing macaroni, the refining of 
our sugar, and many other processes, are directly 
responsible for the almost universal habit of over- 
eating. Certain elements are taken out of the 
food, the body craves these elements, and in try- 
ing to secure adequate nourishment, one eats an 
excessive amount of the refined defective foods. 



133 



CHAPTER XIII 

What to Eat 

THE suggestions offered in the previous 
chapter concerning the necessity for the 
enjoyment of food, give one a fairly clear 
idea as to what he should eat. In other words, 
he should select those foods that he thoroughly 
enjoys, keeping in mind the necessity of using 
only those that are at least reasonably whole- 
some. If you have a large variety from which 
to select, this will be to your advantage, provided 
you do not include too many foods at one meal. 
It is a good plan to get your variety from meal 
to meal and from day to day, but without includ- 
ing too many dishes at any one meal. . 

One of the most remarkable cases of longevity 
with which I have ever come in contact proved 
in a very pointed way the value of this sugges- 
tion. This was a woman who had lived to be over 
eighty years of age. During the last forty years 
of her life she was as agile, as clear-headed and 
as capable as a young woman in the heyday of 
her youth. I am satisfied that to a large extent 
the unusual vitality possessed by this woman was 
due to her habit of eating but one article of food 

134 



WHAT TO EAT 



at a meal. Her usual custom was to eat but 
two meals each day, although occasionally she 
would eat only one. Her meals were taken ir- 
regularly, because she would eat only when she 
was hungry. When she had a definite appetite 
it would nearly always indicate to her the par- 
ticular food that she wanted. She would then 
prepare a meal of this food and thoroughly sat- 
isfy her appetite with it. Nothing else was eaten 
at that meal. This woman naturally went 
through some very severe trials before she 
adopted this diet — indeed, a terrible lesson of 
some sort seems necessary to compel one to fol- 
low a strict dietetic regimen. At the age of forty 
she was a physical wreck, having been for years 
tortured with rheumatism. Having vainly tried 
every other remedy, she finally became interested 
in diet, and through it finally overcame her diffi- 
culty. It might also be of interest in this cone/ 
nection to know that she never used salt, pep- 
per, or condiments of any sort with her meals, 
and it would be well to emphasize that it is im- 
portant to avoid the too free use of condiments 
and stimulating foods. We have used salt so 
long that our bodies seem adapted to it, and it 
is usually considered essential to the welfare of 
domestic stock; therefore it is a moot question 
as to whether it is advisable for human beings to 
avoid it altogether. Yet the excessive use of it to 
which we are prone is certainly harmful. How 
is this to be avoided? If we eat our food in a 

135 



VITALITY SUPREME 

natural state, that is in an uncooked form, salt 
can be more easily avoided, but cooking in many 
instances modifies the flavor to such an extent 
that salt seems necessary. I am not prepared to 
admit that it is a necessity, for I know of many 
who avoid the use of salt altogether and who 
have maintained unusual vital vigor. I have 
known of others, however, who have tried to 
eliminate salt from their diet and the results have 
been unsatisfactory. We may therefore say that 
in most cases the moderate use of salt can be rec- 
ommended. 

One of the most interesting expressions of 
opinion on the subject of salt that I have seen 
was a statement by Stefanson, the Arctic ex- 
plorer, in his "My Quest in the Arctic," in which 
he discusses the diet of the Eskimos and their 
constitutional aversion to salt. 

"Most people are in the habit of looking upon 
the articles of our customary diet, and especially 
upon salt, as necessities. We have not found 
them so. The longer you go without green 
foods and vegetables the less you long for them. 
Salt I have found to behave like a narcotic poi- 
son ; in other words, it is as hard to break off its 
use as it is hard to stop the use of tobacco. But 
after you have been a month or so without salt 
you cease to long for it, and after six months I 
have found the taste of meat boiled in salt water 
positively disagreeable. In the case of such a 
necessary element of food as fat on the other 

136 



WHAT TO EAT 



hand, I have found that the longer you are with- 
out it the more you long for it, until the craving 
becomes much more intense than is the hunger 
of a man who fasts (the symptoms are those of 
a disease rather than of being hungry) . Among 
the uncivilized Eskimos the dislike of salt is so 
strong that a saltiness imperceptible to me would 
prevent them from eating at all. This fact was 
often useful to me, and when our Eskimo visi- 
tors threatened to eat us out of house and home 
we could put in a little pinch of salt, and thus 
husband our resources without seeming inhos- 
pitable. A man who tasted anything salty at 
our table would quickly bethink him that he had 
plenty of more palatable fare in his own house." 
On the score of what to eat I would reiterate 
what I have said about the use of foods in their 
natural condition. The refinement of various 
foods has made them entirely unfit for hu- 
man consumption. Of first importance without 
doubt is the use of the whole grain of the wheat 
for flour. Wheat, as produced by the Almighty, 
is practically a perfect food, containing all the 
elements required by the human body and in a 
proportion not very far from that found in the 
body. In modern methods of milling, however, 
the effort is made to eliminate everything in the 
wheat grain except the pure starch, which natu- 
rally makes a fine, smooth, white flour. The 
miller is not absolutely successful in his endeavor, 
but he does succeed in robbing the product of the 

137 



VITALITY SUPREME 

larger part of its food value, until it is abso- 
lutely incapable of sustaining life, and this seri- 
ous mistake is without question the prime cause 
of the prevalence of constipation. The refin- 
ing of rice by removing the coating, which con- 
tains organic salts, is another process by which is 
produced a food that is almost pure starch. The 
disease beri-beri is now recognized as being due 
to a diet of polished rice. Where the natural 
unpolished rice is used this disease is both pre- 
vented and cured. In refining our sugar a sim- 
ilar denaturing process is carried on. The same 
is true in the grinding of corn, and in preparing 
a whole host of other foods. The practice of 
"refining" is the great food crime of the age. 
In addition to this the average housewife adds to 
our difficulties when preparing vegetables and 
other foods, by "draining" off the water in which 
they are cooked, thus throwing away the inval- 
uable mineral elements which have been dis- 
solved in the liquor during the process of cook- 
ing. The ultimate result of these crimes of the 
manufacturer and mistakes of the cook, is that the 
people are to a large extent starved, as far as min- 
eral salts are concerned, in spite of the enormous 
food supply and the payment of the highest 
prices. 

Though bread is supposed to be the "staff of 
life," it might reasonably be termed the "staff of 
death" when it is made entirely from white flour 
and is depended upon exclusively for nourish- 
es 



WHAT TO EAT 



ment. It is well to point out also that bread 
of all kinds should be avoided in some cases of 
weak digestion. Under such circumstances it 
often irritates the lining of the stomach and in- 
testines. When symptoms of this kind are no- 
ticed bread must not be used — more especially 
when made with yeast. When the bread is made 
without yeast and is masticated very thoroughly 
it may do no harm. There are instances also in 
which there is a strong craving for white bread 
and when graham or whole-wheat bread is not 
appetizing. When one has an abundant variety 
of foods and the alimentary canal is unusually 
active the desire for white bread can be satisfied 
without harmful results. In fact when the diet 
is varied by numerous articles of food at one meal 
considerable white bread can be used if it is ap- 
petizing. Those taking the treatment for con- 
stipation recommended in this book often stimu- 
late the alimentary canal to such an extent that 
graham or whole-wheat products are slightly ir- 
ritating in their effect. As long as such symp- 
toms exist white bread can be used. Remember, 
however, that whenever there is the slightest sign 
of constipation white flour products of all kinds 
should immediately be eliminated from the diet, 
As nearly as possible foods should be used in 
their natural condition. Those that can be en- 
joyed when uncooked are more valuable when 
eaten without cooking. When cooking is neces- 
sary the food should be cooked in such a way that 

139 



VITALITY SUPREME 

there is no waste nor loss of the natural ele- 
ments. Steaming and baking are both prefer- 
able in many cases to boiling; cooking in a dou- 
ble boiler may be especially recommended in the 
case of vegetables, as these are in such a case , 
cooked in their own juices. 

Therefore my most important suggestions on 
what to eat would be : first, to select only natural 
foods; and second, to avoid too much variety at 
one meal. As to what sort of a diet one should 
adopt, I might say that the proper answer to a 
question of this kind depends largely upon one's 
individual condition and requirements. 

Unquestionably a perfect diet is furnished by 
nuts and fruits. From a theoretical standpoint 
this would appear to be ideal. I would say, how- 
ever, that very few persons can be thoroughly 
nourished on a limited diet of this sort, and there- 
fore it cannot be universally recommended. 

Perhaps the next diet that closely approxi- 
mates perfection would be a raw or uncooked 
diet. This would include all the foods that can 
be made palatable without cooking, such as nuts 
and fruits of all kinds, vegetable salads, cereals 
and dairy products. A diet of this sort can be 
continued indefinitely in some cases, and where 
one can be thoroughly nourished on this regimen 
it can be highly recommended. Foods in their 
raw state possess a tremendous amount of vital- 
ity-building elements. They are live foods, con- 
sequently they give one life, energy, vivacity. 
One can usually fast longer with a smaller loss 

140 



WHAT TO EAT 



of weight and energy after a raw than after a 
cooked diet. But in many instances this diet 
does not maintain the weight and the bodily ener- 
gies at high-water mark; consequently in such 
cases it often proves unsatisfactory, even where 
its first effects are pleasing to an unusual degree. 

Nearly all restrictive diets are valuable for a 
short period where there is evidence of overeat- 
ing. On this account many enthusiasts who 
adopt a restricted diet and who note their im- 
proved appearance and general increase of 
energy for a time, will be profoundly impressed 
with the idea that at last they have found a per- 
fect diet. On account of their enthusiasm they 
will often continue such a strict dietetic regimen 
until it is productive of seriously harmful re- 
sults. It should be kept in mind that any diet 
which is really adequate for all requirements will 
maintain your normal weight and your energy. 
In other words, you should feel well and look 
well, if your diet is as it should be. This is an 
invariable test, and can be depended upon abso- 
lutely. 

Probably the next diet that can be recom- 
mended in many cases would be a meatless or 
vegetarian diet. There is absolutely no question 
as to the superiority of this plan over a regimen 
that includes meat, provided again that you can 
be fully nourished and that you feel energetic 
and capable. A vegetarian diet will usually 
make a better quality of tissue; you will have 
more endurance, and there is but little doubt that 

141 



VITALITY SUPREME 

a healthy vegetarian will outlive a meat-eater, 
since his vital organs remain in a healthier con- 
dition for a longer period than those of one ac- 
customed to a free use of meat. 

We must admit, however, that many cannot 
maintain their weight and keep their full allow- 
ance of energy on a vegetarian diet. Where 
you find a vegetarian whose skin is white, whose 
lips are colorless, who is thin and seemingly in 
need of nourishment, you can rest assured that 
the diet is not agreeing with him. Such persons 
in virtually every instance need animal food of 
some sort. It is therefore wise, if you are search- 
ing for a diet that is capable of developing in you 
the greatest degree of mental and physical effi- 
ciency, to make a careful study of your individual 
condition and requirements. After you have ac- 
quired sufficient knowledge on the subject it 
might even be well to do some experimenting, and 
in that way determine what particular diet is best 
suited to your needs. 

It is extremely difficult, however, for one to 
adopt a regimen which is radically different 
from that of those with whom he associates. 
You may have sufficient enthusiasm for a time 
to subsist on a nut-and-fruit diet or on an un- 
cooked diet, but when your own family and 
friends are using other foods at all times the 
temptation to vary your own diet is sometimes 
too strong to resist, consequently you will be in- 
clined gradually to resume the general regimen 
of those with whom you live. 

142 






WHAT TO EAT 



One can, however, maintain good health with- 
out being what might be termed a dietetic crank. 
To be sure, where one is suffering from a dis- 
ease or is definitely in need of some special diet 
in order to secure certain results, a very rigid 
diet is of great importance and should be ad- 
hered to strictly. After such results have been 
achieved, however, and after normal health is re- 
gained, you can secure at almost any well sup- 
plied table a selection of foods which will fur- 
nish satisfactory nourishment. 

Some intelligence in selection, however, is nec- 
essary. There are a few articles of food that it 
would always be well to avoid. For instance, 
nearly all white-flour products are to be con- 
demned. This means not only bread but bis- 
cuits, cakes, crackers, and pastries made of white 
flour. Unquestionably, if one is using meat 
freely, white-flour products are not nearly so 
harmful as when taken with a vegetarian diet. 
The meat supplies some of the deficiencies, 
though not all. At one time I had an experi- 
ment made which proved in a striking manner 
the defective character of white flour as a food. 
The subject tested the results of a fast of 
two weeks. He weighed himself before and 
after the fast and several times during its prog- 
ress. He accurately determined his strength 
at all times, before, during, and at the comple- 
tion of the fast. A considerable time thereafter 
he experimented with a diet of white-flour 
products for the same period of two weeks, eat- 

143 



VITALITY SUPREME 

ing white flour as commonly prepared, in the 
form of bread, cakes, etc. The result showed 
that he lost more weight and more strength while 
following the white-flour regimen than he had 
while fasting absolutely. This would seem to 
indicate that, in this case, at least, white-flour 
products were not a food, but a slow-acting 
poison. 

Among foods especially valuable I would 
call attention to green salads. If possible one 
should eat some food of this kind each day, more 
especially during warm weather. They are of 
great value as blood purifiers and they supply 
to a very large extent the mineral salts. Vari- 
ous combinations can be used in the form of sal- 
ads, and the most satisfactory dressing is prob- 
ably a combination of olive oil and lemon juice. 
I do not recommend vinegar partly because it is 
seldom pure, and one never can tell what com- 
bination of chemicals it contains. Lemon juice 
is preferable even to the best vinegar for the pur- 
pose of salad dressing. Celery, lettuce, toma- 
toes, onions, water-cress, parsley, cucumbers, 
and other foods of this character are suitable for 
salad purposes. Spinach, dandelion leaves, and 
other greens can be recommended in their cooked 
form, and it is unnecessary to add that virtually 
all cooked vegetables are of value. 

Fruits of all kinds can be recommended for 
the same reasons that make the green salads so 
useful to the body. They are of the very great- 
est value where there is any tendency toward bil- 

144 



WHAT TO EAT 



iousness. In many cases of this kind where it is 
undesirable to undertake an absolute fast as a 
means of setting the stomach right and where 
there is a lack of appetite, a fruit fast can be 
highly recommended. This is simply an exclu- 
sive diet of fresh acid fruits, such as oranges, 
grapefruit, grapes, cherries, apples and other 
fresh fruits in season. It is especially important 
to know in such a case that these fruits should be 
eaten in their strictly natural condition, properly 
ripened and without the addition of sugar. As 
a general thinglTsumcient allowance of fruit and 
green salads will so balance the diet that one is 
not likely to have any trouble even if he eats 
heartily of the foods served at the ordinary table. 
It would be well also to remember that acid 
fruits have valuable antiseptic (cleansing) qual- 
ities. They keep the mouth and teeth as well 
as the alimentary canal in a wholesome state. 
In fact the frequent use of acid fruit, more espe- 
cially the orange, is of great value in counteract- 
ing the effects of digestive difficulties on the 
mouth and teeth. If a small piece of orange is 
taken whenever there is an unpleasant taste in 
the mouth it will destroy the germ life that is 
being rapidly propagated under such circum- 
stances, though such symptoms indicate also the 
need of acid fruit of some sort by the stomach. 
Especially is this required if there is a craving for 
fruit of this sort. In such cases the rule against y 
eating between meals may be disregarded. \ 
Whenever you have a strong desire for acid fruits 

11 145 



VITALITY SUPREME 

between meals you are usually safe in using them. 
In fact they are often sorely needed under such 
circumstances to assist in digesting a meal that 
may have been eaten some hours previously. 
Indigestion which leaves the mouth with a foul, 
unpleasant taste is often noticed on awakening 
at night after a hearty meal the evening before. 
On such occasions a few swallows of water, or 
whatever is needed to satisfy thirst, and a small 
quantity of acid fruit, like the orange, are of 
great value. They should be well mixed and 
moved about in the mouth until the acid comes in 
contact with every part of the mouth and teeth. 

When there is the slightest sign of digestive 
difficulties I would advise that each meal be com- 
pleted with a small quantity of fruit. If you 
stop your meal at a time when you can enjoy the 
taste of acid fruit it is usually a definite proof 
that you have not overeaten. 

Remember too that the orange, lemon and any 
fruit with a strong acid flavor is a splendid tooth 
or mouth wash, and it need not be ejected as an 
ordinary wash. It can be enjoyed and swal- 
lowed after mouth and teeth have been cleansed. 
Therefore the frequent use of oranges as a den- 
trifice is a habit of great value. Use them on 
Jf^ retiring and on rising and the results will be 
unusually pleasing. 

What foods can be used as substitutes for 
meat? This is a question that assumes consid- 
erable importance to those desirous of testing the 

146 



WHAT TO EAT 



vegetarian diet. I may say that almost any food 
that is wholesome and hearty in character and 
which is craved by your appetite will make a sat- 
isfactory meat substitute. Those containing a 
large percentage of protein are particularly de- 
sirable for this purpose. The following list will 
give one a general idea as to the nature of these 
foods : 

Cereals of all kinds, either in the whole 
grain or in the form of flaked grain, contain a 
fair percentage of protein and may be recom- 
mended for the purpose, although refined flour 
or polished grains are of no value in this way. 
Bread made from the whole wheat or any of the 
whole grains may be recommended. The "war 
bread" used in Europe since the outbreak of the 
great war is of this type. The pumpernickel 
and "black breads" used in various parts of 
Europe are so valuable from a nutritive stand- 
point that one can live on them entirely. Many 
of the farming and peasant classes of Europe 
live almost exclusively on breads of this type. 
Nearly all the prepared foods ordinarily referred 
to as breakfast foods, and which are made up of 
whole grains of wheat, corn, oats or barley would 
come under this class. No breakfast food made 
of only a part of the wheat would be recom- 
mended for this purpose. 

All kinds of beans are splendid meat substi- 
tutes, including navy beans, lima beans and kid- 
ney beans. They are what one may call hearty 

147 



VITALITY SUPREME 

foods and as a rule one should lead a fairly ac- 
tive life to enjoy and digest them satisfactorily. 
The same may be said of dried peas. Lentils 
belong in the same class and are very similar to 
the bean in its nourishing elements. Beans, peas 
and lentils form a class known as the legumes, 
and contain a high percentage of protein. 

Nuts of all kinds make splendid meat substi- 
tutes, though they may sometimes be found 
rich for a weak stomach. They need to be used 
in small quantities and should be eaten only at 
meal-time. Peanuts really belong to the legume 
family, but are quite as good as any kind of 
nuts. The only mistake in their use lies in the 
habit of eating them between meals. Peanut 
butter and nut butters are of value. When nuts 
are easily digested they are satisfactory in every 
way. 

Perhaps the most popular meat substitute is 
the egg. Do not, however, entertain the idea 
that you are not eating any meat products when 
eggs are included in your diet. Eggs must be 
classed as animal food, but they are very nour- 
ishing. They contain a good supply of lime, 
sulphur, iron, phosphorus and other mineral 
salts in addition to their protein and fats. 

It may also be said that milk should be classed 
as "animal food, though it is of special value 
from a nutritive standpoint. Milk, cheese and 
other milk products naturally make good substi- 
tutes for meat. Butter is a practically pure fat 

148 



WHAT TO EAT 



and will not take the place of meat in supplying 
protein, although it will take the place of the 
fatty portions of the meat. Cheese is often ap- 
propriately placed at the last part of the meal, 
and the statement that it will to a certain extent 
help to digest a hearty meal if but a small quan- 
tity is taken has been proven accurate in numer- 
ous cases. 

As a milk product buttermilk may be particu- 
larly recommended as a meat substitute if one 
uses a considerable quantity of it. We should 
distinguish, however, between real buttermilk 
and the fermented milk or sour milk which is 
often sold in cities under the name of buttermilk. 
Fermented milk is highly recommended for all 
food purposes and is undoubtedly conducive to 
health, but from the standpoint of nutrition it has 
practically the same value as fresh milk. The 
true buttermilk, however, from which the fat- 
forming elements have been extracted in the 
form of butter, is a more purely protein product. 
If you use sufficient buttermilk, that is to say, 
two quarts or more a day, you can rest assured 
that you will not crave meat. 



149 



CHAPTER XIV 

Foods in the Cure of Chronic 
Constipation 

CONSTIPATION is probably the begin- 
ning of nearly all human ailments. There 
are a few exceptions but not many. It is 
a tremendous foe to vitality. Pure blood is ab- 
solutely impossible when one is suffering from 
this complaint. Active functioning of the ali- 
mentary canal is absolutely essential if the blood 
stream is to contain those elements essential to 
superior vital vigor. The regimen which I sug- 
gested in the chapter on Cleansing and Stimu- 
lating the Alimentary Canal will undoubtedly 
be sufficient to overcome any trouble of this 
character provided there are not dietetic causes 
that are serious in nature. Where the disorder 
is chronic, and especially when it has extended 
over a term of many years, a comprehensive 
dietetic regimen may be necessary in addition to 
the adoption of measures previously suggested. 
The direct cause of constipation is a relaxed 
and weakened condition of the muscular walls 
of the stomach and intestines. A certain degree 
of strength of these muscular structures is es- 

150 



CHRONIC CONSTIPATION 

sential properly to facilitate digestion, assimila- 
tion and elimination. The lack of tone in these 
muscles is chiefly due in nearly all cases to what 
might be termed a concentrated diet. Our foods 
have been too much refined. As previously 
stated they are not eaten as they were created, 
but have been put through a prolonged milling 
process or other method of preparation which 
not only eliminates many elements of nourish- 
ment but also breaks up the food into the most 
minute particles, thus eliminating the rough, 
coarse and fibrous material in the food which 
ordinarily arouses what is known as the peristaltic 
activity of the bowels. Our methods of food 
preparation also materially lessen the necessity 
for prolonged and thorough mastication. The 
habit of hurriedly swallowing our food undoubt- 
edly lessens its vitality-building possibilities, be- 
sides materially affecting the strength and gen- 
eral hardiness of the teeth. 

Constipation is also caused in numerous in- 
stances by a lack of liquids. Men and women do 
not use sufficient water. One frequently loses 
what might be termed the water-drinking habit, 
usually as a result of sedentary occupations. 
The method of remedying constipation referred 
to in Chapter VI pointedly illustrates the amaz- 
ing value of water in remedying conditions of 
this kind. It is well, however, to remember the 
necessity for using at least a reasonable quantity 
of water throughout the entire day. If you do 

151 



VITALITY SUPREME 

not drink water quite freely between meals then 
it is advisable and actually necessary to use a 
certain quantity with your meals. Those who 
drink tea and coffee freely seem to recognize the 
need of this instinctively. The choice of these 
beverages, however, is distinctly bad. Tea and 
coffee are destructive to both nerves and health, 
but aside from these stimulating drinks one can 
use almost any wholesome beverage at meal-time 
in order to supply his cravings in this direction. 
Fruit drinks are excellent. I have referred to 
this question in a previous chapter. 

Diet naturally has a tremendous influence on 
alimentary activity. White bread and white- 
flour products constitute the most serious cause 
of constipation. This defective food is lacking 
in the elements necessary to give life and vitality 
to the body, because the valuable covering of the 
grain has been removed in the milling process, 
while the life germ of the wheat has also been 
eliminated. The bran, which consists of several 
minute layers covering the wheat berry, has a 
distinct value in stimulating peristaltic action, 
and when it is removed, the resulting white flour 
must be a defective food. 

One of the first dietetic changes required in 
remedying constipation, therefore, is to eliminate 
white-flour products from the diet. Graham 
bread, or that made from the whole wheat, or any 
of the whole grains, rye, oats, barley, corn, is a 
satisfactory article of diet, and will often remedy 

152 



CHRONIC CONSTIPATION 

constipation without resort to any other dietetic 
change. 

What might be termed waste products, or 
fibrous material in food, are found especially 
valuable in promoting digestion and active func- 
tioning of the bowels. The woody fiber found 
in vegetables is most valuable. It is sometimes 
suggested that one should simply consume the 
juice of his foods but not the pulp. This pulp or 
fibrous matter, however, is especially important. 
Following this requirement of bulk or waste in 
our food, we find such remedies as sand, refined 
coal oil, a mineral product that passes through 
the alimentary canal without change, and or- 
dinary black dirt, which is usually taken in its 
dried form. When using sand, it should be 
sterilized, and the grains should be rounded and 
worn smooth by the action of waves or running 
water. Do not use that in which the grains are 
sharp-edged. One or more of these products 
are valuable as a laxative and the devitalizing 
after-effects of a drug cathartic will be absent. 
They are, however, not by any means as pleasant 
as food laxatives, and remedies of this sort 
should not be employed except as a temporary 
expedient. 

Whole grains of various kinds, wheat, rye, 
oats and barley, simmered in hot water for a long 
time until properly softened, not only afford a 
high degree of nourishment, but will be found of 
special value as a means of remedying constipa- 

153 



VITALITY SUPREME 

tion. They are best if used in their natural 
state, just as they come from the farm. They 
are more valuable when eaten raw with fruit or 
cream, or in some other palatable form, than 
when cooked. When flaked or crushed, as in 
the case of ordinary oatmeal, they may be used 
with figs, dates, raisins and a little cream, or they 
may be eaten with a little honey. One bowl of 
this class of food, either raw or cooked, each day, 
is very effective in overcoming constipation. 

Salads of various kinds not only have great 
value by way of supplying food for the nerves, 
but they are also worth while for their mild laxa- 
tive effect. I would recommend all forms of un- 
cooked green food, chiefly to be used in the form 
of salads, such as lettuce, tomatoes, onions, cel- 
ery, radishes, cucumbers, cold slaw, water-cress, 
parsley, and the like. All cooked green vegeta- 
bles such as spinach, asparagus, string beans, 
fresh green peas, Brussels sprouts, dandelion 
leaves, greens, cabbages, mushrooms and other 
foods of this sort will likewise be helpful. 

Fruits are of even greater value for their laxa- 
tive qualities. One should use them freely for 
ordinary health building, but especially when 
suffering from this complaint. Apples, oranges, 
grapefruit, peaches, plums, grapes, and various 
berries are exceptionally good for increasing ali- 
mentary activity, though all kinds of fruit are 
valuable. Prunes and figs are particularly rec- 
ommended. Such acid fruits as lemons, oranges 

154 



CHRONIC CONSTIPATION 

and grapefruit are valuable not only for their 
stimulating qualities in connection with constipa- 
tion, but also because of their antiseptic in- 
fluence. 

Cheese is very constipating to those inclined 
in this direction. All forms of cheese and food 
combinations containing it should be avoided. 
Spaghetti and macaroni prepared in this way 
are especially inadvisable, though it may be said 
that even when served without cheese spaghetti 
and macaroni are constipating. Rice in the or- 
dinary polished form, as usually sold, is practi- 
cally a pure starch and should be avoided. The 
same applies to tapioca, sago and foods of this 
character. Needless to say white crackers, 
cookies and cakes are to be classed with white 
bread. One should use brown sugar in place of 
white wherever possible, or use the pure New 
Orleans molasses. It is often difficult to secure 
this, however, inasmuch as most of the molasses 
on the market is made up chiefly of glucose or 
corn syrup, and often contains harmful chemical 
preservatives. It is best to avoid sugar alto- 
gether and to use honey for all purposes of 
sweetening, as honey is less inclined to fermenta- 
tion. 

Milk in some cases is inclined to produce con- 
stipation when used in connection with the or- 
dinary diet. An exclusive and full diet of milk, 
is rarely constipating except during the first few 
days of the diet, but when milk is added to the 

155 



VITALITY SUPREME 

ordinary foods, it frequently has a tendency in 
this direction. Buttermilk or fermented milk 
can often be used to advantage if sweet milk 
should prove constipating to the patient. 

Muscular weakness and defective circulation 
are prominent causes of constipation in many 
cases. This accounts for this disorder being 
found so frequently among sedentary workers. 
Inactivity, the cause of many ills, is particularly 
prominent in contributing to this trouble. 
Therefore muscular exercise is perhaps a most 
effective means of permanently remedying con- 
stipation. Exercise has a direct mechanical in- 
fluence upon the entire alimentary canal. The 
contraction of the abdominal muscles and the 
bending or other movements of the trunk of the 
body produce a certain amount of movement 
in and pressure upon the digestive organs in a 
direct mechanical way. Walking, for instance, 
is of extraordinary value in remedying this diffi- 
culty because of its stimulating influence upon 
the entire functional system, and the slight jar of 
each step without doubt has a direct mechanical 
effect. Walking furthermore is a tremendous 
factor in the building of vitality and this helps 
indirectly in remedying constipation. 

But there are also various special exercises that 
particularly affect the alimentary canal. Bend- 
ing forward and backward and from side to side 
and also various twisting movements of the trunk 
have a special influence in this direction. They 

156 



CHRONIC CONSTIPATION 

actually massage the internal organs, and this 
means a great deal where there is any digestive 
weakness or lack of activity in the bowels. What 
I term inner-strength exercises, or as they may 
also be called, pressure movements, are also of 
considerable value. An example of this type 
of exercise will be found in placing the right 
forearm across the stomach, grasping the right 
wrist with the left hand, and then with the 
strength of both arms pressing vigorously inward 
upon the stomach for a moment. Now relax 
and repeat. Bringing up the right knee and left 
knee alternately, with strong pressure, using 
vigorously the strength of the arms against the 
abdominal region, is also a good example of this 
type of exercise, which has proven very effective 
in numerous cases. Other exercises of this kind 
(see Chapter XV) can be applied to all parts 
of the upper body with great advantage to the in- 
ner organs, since such movements are of remark- 
able value in stimulating alimentary activity. 

In line with exercise of this kind, massage and 
percussion treatment of the abdominal region is 
likewise effective. The massage should be deep 
and may be administered by the closed fist. A 
wide circular movement is advantageous for this 
purpose, the hand being moved in the direction 
of the hands of a clock, that is to say, up the 
right side, across, down the left side and continu- 
ing around in that manner. Rolling a baseball 
around in the same manner, pressing deeply 

157 



VITALITY SUPREME 

though without strain, will afford an excellent 
form of massage for this particular purpose. 
The percussion treatment that I have suggested 
consists in alternate tapping or striking this re- 
gion of the body with both hands. A chopping 
movement, using the outside edge of the hands, 
is very effective, and if you are very vigorous, 
the closed fist may be used. Striking repeatedly 
and alternately with the two fists, go over the 
entire region of the stomach and abdomen. This 
can be done gently or vigorously, according to 
your condition, and it is an invaluable and effec- 
tive means of stimulating peristalsis and func- 
tional vigor. Mechanical vibration may also be 
suggested. 

Cathartics are always to be condemned. The 
ordinary cathartic or laxative acts by reason of 
its irritating qualities. As a rule it abstracts 
the water from the intestinal walls, and the ad- 
jacent tissues, and the ultimate effect is to leave 
one in worse condition than before. Those who 
have been accustomed to the drug treatment of 
constipation, usually find the condition growing 
continuously more stubborn. Larger and larger 
doses of the cathartic must be taken to secure 
results until the function is practically paralyzed. 
There could be no greater mistake. If some 
laxative is required and sand cannot be used, 
the best remedy is ordinary table salt. Stir 
up a level teaspoonful in a glass of water and 
drink it. This has a mild laxative action. Or 

158 



CHRONIC CONSTIPATION 

take daily two to four tablespoonfuls of ordinary 
bran in a glass of water. This bran may also be 
stirred into soups and cereals or mixed with 
whole- wheat flour when making bread. Olive 
oil also should be used freely. 

As an emergency treatment, however, the 
enema is most satisfactory, and when employed 
it is best to do it thoroughly. I do not advocate 
the regular and continuous use of this measure. 
One should not come to depend upon it. A nat- 
ural action is desirable, and this can invariably be 
brought about by a proper diet, as above sug- 
gested, by exercise and by a sufficient amount of 
water. The enema or colon-flushing should be 
used only when absolutely necessary, though in 
case of acute disease, where rapid purification 
is essential, the enema is imperatively demanded, 
and no household should be without an outfit for 
giving this treatment. 

To some the continuous use of the colon-flush- 
ing treatment is inclined to be debilitating and 
in rare cases complaints have been made that 
it dilates the colon and weakens its muscular 
structures. This is occasionally true in the case 
of the hot enema. A fairly cool enema is less 
objectionable, while a cold enema has a decided 
tonic effect in contracting and strengthening the 
peristaltic muscles. The cold enema is less effec- 
tive as a cleansing agent, as it does not have the 
relaxing effect of the hot enema. In most cases 
an enema of neutral temperature, or at about that 

159 



VITALITY SUPREME 

of the body, may be suggested, though if one has 
been using this treatment very much it would be 
better to use either a cool or cold enema, if strong 
enough, in order to secure its contracting and 
tonic effect. If the cold water causes cramps 
one should modify the temperature. 

Usually it is best to use plain water for the 
enema. In a case of illness where quick and 
radical results are required, a hot soap-suds 
enema may be suggested, but you should re- 
member that this always has the effect of remov- 
ing the natural oils and is inclined to leave the 
colon in an irritated condition. A saline solu- 
tion is to be especially commended where there is 
a serious catarrhal condition of the intestines, or 
where there is much inflammation or irritation, 
such as might be manifested in extreme cases by 
bloody stools. For a normal saline solution use 
one teaspoonful of ordinary salt to a quart of 
water, or four teaspoonfuls to a four-quart 
enema. Glycerine is frequently suggested, but 
it is not to be generally recommended. 

If one follows these methods persistently, 
constipation, even in its most aggravated forms, 
can be overcome. In some instances almost any 
one of the suggestions offered will bring about 
the results desired, but in a chronic case one 
should depend not on one but on a combination 
of all of these various remedial measures. The 
improvement in the condition of your skin, in the 
purity of your blood, and in the degree of energy 

160 



CHRONIC CONSTIPATION 

that you will enjoy will more than repay you for 
your efforts in following the various suggestions 
made for cleansing, strengthening, and vitalizing 
the alimentary canal. 



161 



CHAPTER XV 

Pressure Movements for Building Inner 
Strength 

SEVERAL years ago I discovered a unique 
and very effective means of strengthening 
the heart, lungs, stomach and other internal 
organs. I arranged a system of lessons, consist- 
ing of various pressure movements, which I 
termed an Inner Strength Course. As my ex- 
perience with this course had been limited, I 
refrained at the time from presenting its funda- 
mental theories to the general public. I issued 
the course in a series of four lessons, and the 
strength of each applicant was ascertained 
through questions before the course was sent to 
him. The experience with several hundred stu- 
dents, however, has so thoroughly confirmed 
the value of this method of internal vitality build- 
ing that I am now in a position where I can 
present the ideas upon which it is based to the 
general public. The usual price of this course 
was five dollars, and several thousand courses 
were sold at this price, each student naturally 
receiving a certain amount of personal attention. 
The same ideas, however, are presented in this 

162 



PRESSURE MOVEMENTS 

chapter, with the warning that those who use 
the pressure exercises recommended must take 
care to avoid pressing upon the internal organs 
beyond their resisting power. 

The various forms of pressure movements 
recommended are clearly illustrated and those 
who are not especially strong should begin with 
a very mild pressure and with the open hand 
placed upon the abdomen or chest, though where 
ordinary or unusual strength is possessed, the 
side of the open or closed hand could be used. 
These exercises are especially valuable for 
strengthening the heart where the pressure 
movements are used very freely near this par- 
ticular organ. They can be highly recom- 
mended for strengthening the stomach though 
they should not be used immediately after a meal. 
I referred to their value in the chapter on con- 
stipation in connection with the treatment of this 
ailment. After a long trial this system of in- 
creasing the internal strength is highly recom- 
mended, and will be found of special value as 
a means of varying the health-building methods 
that may be adopted for securing throbbing vi- 
tality. They are not a necessary part of the 
plan of body building especially recommended in 
this volume, but are presented merely as a val- 
uable means of varying your efforts in working 
for increased vitality. 

It is an interesting fact that in some forms of 
athletics, the body is subjected to a certain 

163 



VITALITY SUPREME 

amount of internal stimulation similar to that 
which I have systematized in these movements. 
This is especially true in wrestling, where the 
vital organism is often compelled to endure a 
great deal of pressure of this kind. The same 
is true of American football, although this is too 
violent for those who are not in an unusually 
vigorous condition. 

To suit these varying degrees of strength I 
have arranged these movements so that the first 
series (A) is comparatively mild. Those who 
are not already vigorous can probably use the 
advanced form of treatment, but in most cases it 
will be best to take them up gradually. In cases 
of rupture, or where the abdominal region is 
weak, there is a possibility of injury if one makes 
the movements too vigorous. 

The first series, however, in which the open 
palm of the hand is used, is quite safe in all cases, 
if reasonable care is used. In each of these pres- 
sure movements remember that the pressure 
should be applied for one moment only, and then 
relaxed, repeating the pressure and moving the 
position of the hands in accordance with the di- 
rections accompanying each photograph. 

When a feeling of pain or great tenderness is 
noted in pressing upon any part of the body, this 
should be regarded as a warning that the pres- 
sure is not to be repeated. If there is only a 
feeling of uneasiness you can usually continue 
with the treatment and the discomfort will disap- 

164 



PRESSURE MOVEMENTS 

pear in practically every instance. And while 
an acute sense of pain indicates the necessity for 
avoiding pressure on that particular part, yet it 
is sometimes a good plan to exert the pressure 
upon adjacent or surrounding parts, thereby in- 
fluencing the circulation, and continuing the 
treatment until the inflammation which is the 
cause of the pain gradually disappears. One 
should be careful to exercise moderation in all 
cases, however. 

The second series (B) in which the closed 
hand is used is somewhat more vigorous, and this 
is made still more energetic by grasping the first 
hand with the other so that the pressure may be 
applied with the strength of both the arms. As 
the student progresses, the number of times that 
pressure is applied at each part of the body may 
be increased, so that at the conclusion of the treat- 
ment he may feel thoroughly tired, thus showing 
that he is making good progress toward the goal 
in view. 

The third series (C) includes movements es- 
pecially intended for stimulating the functional 
regions from the back of the body, and should be 
given close attention. They are especially val- 
uable for strengthening the kidneys. The last 
and most vigorous of the movements (series D) 
are especially powerful in their influence upon 
the organs lying within the chest as well as upon 
those beneath the diaphragm. The heart and 
lungs will be very effectually stimulated and 

165 



VITALITY SUPREME 

strengthened in this way. In chronic bronchitis, 
coughs and colds on the lungs these movements 
applied to the chest will be very helpful, besides 
directly strengthening these parts. 

You can absolutely depend upon it that when 
you have reached a condition in which you can 
exert the most vigorous pressure upon all of 
these parts, and do it with comfort and pleas- 
urable results, your "department of the in- 
terior" is in a strong and healthy condition. 
You will find a radical change in the entire in- 
ternal organism. You will find that the ab- 
dominal organs feel more solid and substantial, 
while the muscular walls of this region are far 
stronger. You will have a sense of strength in 
this region, and this is absolutely the case in so 
far as the external muscles of this part of the 
body are concerned. But the more valuable gain 
will be in the strength of the organs themselves. 
These organs are partly muscular in character, 
and they are firm and strong, or soft and flaccid, 
in accordance with the intelligent consideration 
that they receive and the amount of exercise 
given them. 

Before long you should be able to use almost 
your entire strength in exerting pressure, and 
feel nothing but beneficial results. But when 
doing this it may be well to change the position 
of the hand slightly for each application of pres- 
sure, rather than to repeat such strenuous treat- 
ment so many times in one spot. The idea is to 

166 



PRESSURE MOVEMENTS 

exert pressure throughout the entire region of 
the abdomen, chest, sides and back. 

It may occur to the reader that this form of 
exercise for the vital organs has a certain distant 
similarity to some features of massage treat- 
ment, known as deep massage. However, this 
method is much more vigorous than any form of 
massage, and is of a character to build a degree 
of real internal strength that cannot be attained 
through massage of any kind. And it has the 
advantage of being convenient for self-appli- 
cation. 

After a time you may be able to originate 
pressure movements of your own. One of my 
friends writes that he has used a similar idea as- 
sociated with a vibratory motion. He slightly 
agitates the hand in different directions while 
pressing inwards. This is well worth a trial, and 
it partakes very much of the nature of massage. 
Another good practice is to inhale a deep breath 
and then while holding this breath apply pres- 
sure all along the central portion of the abdom- 
inal region, from the breastbone downwards, 
from ten to twenty times. Then, without ex- 
haling the breath, draw in all the additional air 
you can and repeat the pressure movements six 
to twelve times, after which you may be able to 
take in still more air. One should be careful not 
to carry this holding of the breath too far. At 
the first signs of discomfort the breath should 
be exhaled quickly. 

167 




LESSON A. 

A i. — T h i s illustrates 
pressure on the right side 
of the lower abdominal re= 
gion. Simply press on this 
part with the open hand as 
vigorously as you can, re= 
lax, and repeat from 10 to 
20 times. Repeat on the 
left side with the left hand. 



A 2. — You will note 
in this position the flat 
hand is placed right 
over the region of the 
stomach, the soft part 
of the body immedi= 
ately under the lower 
portion of the chest. 
Exert pressure here, 
relax, and repeat from 
10 to 20 times. 



168 




A 3. — Here the pres= 
sure is being exerted 
immediately under the 
right side of the chest 
with the open hand. 
Repeat as previously 
from 10 to 20 times. 

Repeat the pressure 
on the left side with 
the left hand from 10 
to 20 times. 



A 4. — Clasp 
the palm of the 
left hand over 
the right, as il= 
lustrated and 
press upon 
chest as vigor= 
ously as possi= 
ble moving the 
hands from the 
central portion 
of chest out= 
ward and up= 
ward, endeav= 
ouring to exert 
the pressure 
upon all parts 
of the right 
chest. Repeat 
with the posi= 
tion reversed. 



169 




A 5.— ; Here we have HIus= 
trated tlie exertion of pres= 
sure immediately under the 
right pectoral, especially 
beneficial in cases of liver 
trouble. Exert the pressure 
alternately, using the 
strength of both hands, re= 
peating from 10 to 20 times. 
Repeat, with the position of 
the hands reversed under the 
left pectoral from 10 to 20 
times. 



LESSON B. 

B 1. — Here we have il= 
lustrated pressure on the 
lower part of the right 
abdominal region, using 
the closed fist with the 
fingers against the body. 
Press from 15 to 25 
times. 

Repeat on the left side, 
with the left fist 15 to 
25 times. 



170 




B 2. — With closed fist as in 
previous illustration, press the 
fingers immediately under the 
right chest as shown. Press 
15 to 25 times. Repeat with 
the left fist immediately under 
the left chest 15 to 25 times. 



B 3. — P lacing the 
closed hands immediately 
i over the soft part of the 
abdominal region, grasp 
the right hand vigorously 
with the left, and press 
inward from 15 to 25 
times. 



171 



B 4. — This photograph il= 
lustrates another method of 
exerting pressure upon vari= 
ous parts, and will be used 
almost exclusively in con= 
nection with later lessons. 
You simply place the thumb 
side of the hand against the 
stomach and press inward 
vigorously; move hand to 
other part of the abdominal 
region until all parts have 
been treated. 




B 5. — Place the right hand 
on the chest as illustrated, 
press down as vigorously as 
possible. Press 15 to 25 
times. 

Repeat with the left hand 
on the left chest 15 to 25 
times. 



172 




B 6. — Place the closed fist 
against the central portion 
of the chest and grasp with 
the other hand as illustrated. 
Press inward; relax and 
move the hands to different 
parts of the chest, press 
again and repeat until fa= 
tigued. Continue to move 
the hands, and exert pres= 
sure until the whole of the 
chest has been covered. 



LESSON C. 

C i.— Place the right arm 
under the left, twine the fin= 
jgers of the left hand round 
the right elbow. Press in= 
ward as vigorously as you 
possibly can with the 
strength of the arms. Relax 
and repeat 15 to 25 times. 

Reverse position of arms 
and repeat as before. 



173 




Each time pressure Is 
made, raise the left 
hand slightly, until it 
has been brought up as 
far as possible. Bring 
the hand up and down 
in this manner until you 
have made from 25 to 
50 pressure movements. 
This movement when 
using pressure on the 
small of the back over 
the kidneys has an un= 
usually beneficial effect 
on those particular or= 
gans. Repeat on the 
opposite side with the 
hands reversed. 



C 2.— This photograph 
shows the position of the 
left hand just previous to 
its being grasped by the 
right hand as shown in 
the next illustration. 

C 3. — If you are able 
to follow out the idea 
presented in these two 
photographs you will no= 
tice that three fingers 
of the left hand are 
formed into a hook to 
grasp the right hand. 
Now the right hand 
should push forward as 
vigorously as possible. 



174 



C 5. — Place the right 
hand as shown. Now 
pulling over to the left 
with the left arm, press 
inward and forward 
with the right arm as 
vigorously as possible. 
Repeat 15 to 25 times. 
Repeat on the opposite 
side with the position 
of the hands reversed. 
This movement you will 
notice, very materially 
stimulates the activity 
of the liver, being di= 
rectly over that organ. 



C 4. — T his illustrates 
the position of the left 
hand before the right is 
placed over it as shown in 
the next photograph. 




175 




C 6. — Grasp the hands in 
the same position as in the 
previous illustration, and 
press down against the 
chest vigorously. Move the 
hands back and forth to 
different parts of the chest, 
and exert pressure from 15 
to 25 times. 

Repeat on left chest with 
position of hands reversed. 



C 7. — This illustration 
shows the idea presented 
in C 2 and C 3, as used 
by the opposite sex, the 
hand in this instance be- 
ing directly over what is 
called the "Small of the 
back." 




upward and when pressing 
on the left side always 
move the hand downward. 
This is especially impor= 
tant if there is any tend= 
ency towards constipa= 
tion, for in such circum= 
stances, pressure exerted 
in this way will have an 
unusually beneficial effect 
in stimulating the activity 
of the bowels. 

D 2. — Showing how the 
hand is placed in the cen= 
tral portion of the abdom= 
inal region, ready for 
grasping with the other 
hand, as shown in the next 
photograph. 

13 



LESSON D. 

D i. — Showing the posi= 
tion of the right hand, ready 
for the left hand to grasp it, 
for the purpose of exerting 
pressure on the lower right 
portion of the abdominal re= 
gion. When exerting pres= 
sure in each instance move 
the hand slightly upward un= 
til it finally reaches the 
lower part of the chest. 

Repeat the exercise on the 
left side with left hand, but 
note that when pressing on 
the right side always move 
the right hand from the 
lower part of the abdomen 



177 




D 3. — Very vigorous 
pressure can be used in 
this instance, right over 
the stomach; pressure, 
however, should be given 
all along and down the 
central portion of the ab= 
domen, the hand going 
considerably below the 
navel. Pressure can be ex= 
erted in all central parts 
of the abdominal region 
until fatigue is induced. 



D 4. — E x e r t pressure 
upon the right side of the 
chest as shown. Relax and 
repeat 10 to 20 times. Ex= 
ert pressure in same way 
on left side of chest with 
left hand. 



178 



CHAPTER XVI 

Blood Purification 

IF one could maintain his blood in absolute 
purity disease would be virtually impossible. 
The blood is the life. You are what you are 
through the influence of the blood that circulates 
throughout your entire body. 

Now, a proper supply of pure blood, as pre- 
viously stated, depends first of all upon proper 
digestion and assimilation. This involves natu- 
rally a strengthening diet with a supply of foods 
that contain all of the elements required by the 
body and which will permit of a pure and perfect 
condition of the blood. Next in importance 
are the chemical changes which take place in 
this life-giving fluid as it passes through the 
lungs. Following this, the purity of the life 
stream depends upon the various organs that 
have to do with elimination; that is to say, the 
throwing off from the blood of the various ac- 
cumulated wastes and poisons that are inimical 
to life. Now you might call this the bloocj- 
purif ying process. The removal of these various 
waste elements from the blood depends entirely 
upon the proper activity of the depurating 
organs. , 

179 



VITALITY SUPREME 

I have already referred to the great importance 
of an active alimentary canal. You might say 
that the lower part of the alimentary canal is the 
sewer of the body. It removes a large amount 
of the impurities. In some cases of fasting that 
I have personally supervised, there has been a 
daily action of the bowels merely from the waste 
matter that has accumulated. The debris that is 
removed from the body in this way does not by 
any means consist entirely of the remains of food 
that is not absorbed by the circulatory system. 
The blood is purified to a large extent by the 
various waste elements that seek the alimen- 
tary canal for an outlet. If these waste prod- 
ucts were allowed to remain in the circulation 
they would produce seriously injurious results. 
Therefore, in the general scheme of blood purifi- 
cation an active alimentary canal is of first im- 
portance. 

I may say that proper breathing, together with 
the facilitation of this function through active 
exercise, is the next feature of importance in 
blood purification. Following this we can with- 
out doubt reasonably maintain that a certain 
amount of activity of the kidneys is desired. 
This will nearly always be accomplished if one 
drinks the amount of water which is essential 
to satisfy a natural thirst. Remember, however, 
that modern habits are often inclined partially 
to eliminate or entirely to destroy what one might 
call a natural thirst. For instance, there are 

180 



BLOOD PURIFICATION 

various sedentary occupations in which one be- 
comes so absorbed in his work that the desire for 
water will be ignored, and where this mistake is 
made for a long period, one acquires the habit 
of going without water, and consequently the 
natural desire is to a large extent lost. In such 
cases, it is even important to bring back the 
appetite for water. Have a glass of water at 
hand and take a few swallows now and then. 
Or, what would be better yet, carry out the sug- 
gestion which I have given in a former chapter 
on the drinking of hot water. That will usually 
supply the system with the proper amount of 
liquid necessary to insure normal activity of the 
kidneys. 

The next means of blood purification is one 
which rarely receives a great amount of attention. 
I refer to the eliminative function of the skin. 
We have more definite control over and can more 
easily influence this particular channel of elimi- 
nation than any other. The skin unquestionably 
throws off a tremendous amount of impurities. 
Where but little attention is given it, where one 
bathes at infrequent intervals and to a large ex- 
tent smothers the skin with a surplus amount of 
clothing, the activity of the eliminative function 
of the skin is greatly reduced. There are various 
means at hand for stimulating the activity of the 
skin which are of unusual value in connection 
with blood purification. 

One of the simplest methods both of improv- 

181 



VITALITY SUPREME 

ing the texture of the skin and accelerating its 
functional processes is found in dry friction. 
This friction can be applied with the palm of 
the hand, with a rough towel, or with friction 
brushes. In order to secure the greatest ad- 
vantages of a friction bath it is advisable to brush 
or rub the surface of every part of the body until 
it assumes a pinkish glow from the increased 
peripheral circulation induced by the friction. 
Where the skin is rough or covered with pimples 
this suggestion is of especial value. When using 
friction brushes for this purpose one should not 
attempt to use very stiff brushes in the beginning, 
for they will scratch too much. Soft, fair skins 
usually cannot stand such rough treatment as 
well as can a thicker skin, or one which is oily in 
character. In many cases a dry Turkish bath 
towel will answer the purpose splendidly. If 
the skin is rather tender it suffices to use the 
palms of both hands. After becoming accus- 
tomed to the friction, however, you will find that 
you will be able to enjoy stiffer brushes and I 
would suggest using a fairly stiff brush so long 
as it is not too uncomfortable. You will find 
that as you become accustomed to the treatment 
the skin will become softer and smoother as a 
result. Also it will become more active. This 
dry friction bath may be taken each morning fol- 
lowing your exercises. If you take a cold bath 
it should follow the friction. First exercise, 
then employ the friction rub, and then bathe. I 

182 



BLOOD PURIFICATION 

would suggest that from five to ten minutes at 
least be devoted to this friction. It will furnish 
some exercise in connection with the rubbing, will 
quicken the general circulation, and will give you 
that warmth of body which makes the cold bath 
desirable and delightful. 

Air baths are likewise valuable as a means of 
promoting activity in the eliminative function of 
the skin. Primitive man, living in a state of 
Nature, was not burdened with clothing. There 
was nothing to interfere with the healthy activity 
of his epidermis. There can be no question that 
the smothering of the skin by our clothing has 
much to do with defective elimination of wastes, 
and the more nearly we can avoid clothing, or 
the less clothing we can wear, the better. When 
possible, therefore, and especially in warm 
weather, it is advisable to remove all clothing and 
let the air come in contact with the surface of the 
body. This not only has a pronounced effect 
upon the purification of the blood but it likewise 
has a tonic effect upon the nervous system. In 
the same way the friction rub has a stimulating 
effect upon the nerves. This is due to the fact 
that in the skin are located a million or more of 
tiny nerve endings or so-called "end organs" of 
the nerves. These peripheral nerve endings are 
naturally influenced by all conditions that affect 
the skin, whether in the form of friction, air baths, 
cold baths, or baths of other temperatures. The 
air bath, therefore, has a splendid tonic effect 

183 



VITALITY SUPREME 

and may be particularly recommended for those 
suffering with "nerves." 

Sun baths are especially effective as a means of 
stimulating activity of the skin, and promoting 
elimination. Sun baths likewise have a very 
powerful influence upon the entire organism in- 
asmuch as they stimulate metabolism or cell- 
activity. They directly affect the circulation and 
promote the formation of red corpuscles. The 
sun is the centre of all energy and life upon this 
earth. It is our great vitalizing and life-giving 
principle, both in the realms of animal life and 
plant life. It is only natural, therefore, that sun 
baths should have a profound influence upon the 
body. 

A word of caution, however, is required be- 
cause of the tremendous power of the sun and its 
powerful chemical effect when sun bathing is 
carried too far. Those of very fair skins partic- 
ularly need to be careful. Brunettes, with con- 
siderable pigment of the skin can stand a great 
deal of sunlight without harm, but light-skinned 
persons, while needing a certain amount of sun- 
light, should not expose themselves for too long 
a time to the midday sun in summer, or at least 
not until they have gradually become sufficiently 
tanned to do so. Everyone knows the painful 
character of a sunburn. This only illustrates the 
powerful chemical effect of the sun's rays. In 
taking sun baths one should very gradually ac- 
custom himself to the sunshine until he is so 

184 



BLOOD PURIFICATION 

tanned that the pigment in his skin will protect 
him. The short or chemical rays of the sun are 
actually destructive to white men in the tropics. 
In May, June and July they have a pronounced 
chemical effect even in our own latitude. They 
are stimulating up to a certain point, but beyond 
that point one should be careful. I may say, 
therefore, that brunettes in summer may take 
sun baths even at noon, but blondes should take 
them preferably before nine or ten o'clock in the 
morning or after three o'clock in the afternoon. 
In winter, however, when the sun's rays are more 
slanting, the sun baths can be taken even by the 
blondes at any time. And because of the more 
limited amount of sunlight in winter, special at- 
tention should be given to sun bathing during 
that season. 

Everyone needs a certain amount of sunlight, 
and if you cannot take a sun bath regularly every 
day you should at least wear clothing of a charac- 
ter that will permit the light-rays of the sun to 
penetrate. I will refer to this again, however, 
in the chapter on the subject of clothing. 

After all that we can say in regard to these 
various methods of stimulating the skin there is 
really nothing so effective as active exercise for 
those who are strong enough to take a sufficient 
amount of it. Exercise, so far as function of 
the skin is concerned, is valuable because of the 
copious perspiration which is induced when one 

185 



VITALITY SUPREME 

gets enough of it. In these days great numbers 
of people no longer "earn their bread by the 
sweat of their brow," and their health suffers in 
consequence. If you do not have to perform 
such an amount of physical labor as will promote 
free perspiration, then for the sake of acquiring 
the very purest quality of blood your special 
exercise should be sufficiently active and continu- 
ous to bring about free perspiration. There is 
really nothing so effective as a good old-fashioned 
"sweat" for rapidly purifying the blood. Any- 
one who perspires each and every day as a result 
of physical activity, and whose habits are fairly 
satisfactory in other respects, can depend upon 
enjoying absolutely pure blood, or a condition 
which is not far from it. 

It does not matter what form of physical ac- 
tivity is employed to bring about this result. It 
may take the form of work that is useful and 
productive in character, or it may be play that 
is sufficiently active to cause deep, free breathing 
and bring out the perspiration. For those who 
are vigorous enough, cross-country running, 
wrestling, boxing, tennis and other games which 
involve real muscular effort continued for some 
time, will all prove satisfactory for this purpose. 
If you are anxious to purify your blood in cold 
weather it might be well to wear a good heavy 
sweater while taking such exercise in order to 
maintain a marked degree of warmth and thus 

186 



BLOOD PURIFICATION 

bring out the perspiration in plentiful quantities. 
It is always well to avoid becoming chilled too 
quickly after exercise of this kind. 

It is not alone in stimulating the eliminative 
function of the skin that exercise has a blood- 
purifying effect; it accelerates all the functions 
of the body, it stimulates greater activity of the 
lungs and of the kidneys. It promotes such an 
active circulation through all the minute struc- 
tures of the body that accumulations of waste 
and dead matter are taken up and swept on to 
be thrown out through the natural channels of 
elimination. Under conditions of physical stag- 
nation, when the circulation is less active, much 
of this waste matter tends to remain in the tis- 
sues of the body, accumulating and interfering 
with cell activity and normal functioning in 
general. The vigorous circulation of the blood 
induced by exercise gradually has the effect 
of flushing out all of the bodily tissues, and in 
that way has an internal cleansing effect that 
cannot be attained by any other means. In 
another chapter I have referred to the power- 
ful influence of the drinking of hot water in 
connection with exercise as a means of promot- 
ing a more free circulation, but exercise under 
any circumstances tends to the same result, and 
for this reason as well as because of the per- 
spiration brought about, exercise must be re- 
garded as perhaps the most important of all 
measures for blood purification. No man can 

187 



VITALITY SUPREME 

be continuously healthy without exercise. No 
man or woman can be internally clean, in the 
strictist sense, without a proper amount of daily 
exercise. 

However, for those who are not strong enough 
to take a large amount of exercise, and who can- 
not in this way bring about free perspiration, 
other methods of accelerating the activity of the 
pores of the skin may be employed. I have al- 
ready referred to the influence of air baths, fric- 
tion baths and sun baths. Remember that 
through these agencies the pores may be made 
very active without any apparent result in the 
form of liquid perspiration, for under ordinary 
conditions perspiration evaporates and the body 
may not become wet. It is only when one per- 
spires very rapidly that perspiration is mani- 
fested in the moistening of the skin. When 
taking your air baths there may be marked ac- 
tivity of the skin without any appearance of 
"sweat." 

Various forms of bathing have the effect of in- 
ducing rapid elimination. Russian and Turk- 
ish baths are commonly used for this purpose, 
and every "man about town" knows the value of 
Russian and Turkish baths as a means of clear- 
ing his system and even of "clearing his head" 
through the profuse perspiration induced by the 
treatment. There is no question that these 
baths are effective in this direction, though it may 
be said that they are only a poor substitute for 

188 



BLOOD PURIFICATION 

daily exercise as a blood-purifying measure. 
The man who neglects his requirements in the 
way of physical activity may strive to make up 
for it by a Turkish bath, but cannot get the same 
results, although it is true he can accomplish a 
great deal in this way. The great objection to 
Turkish and Russian bath establishments is 
to be found in the unsatisfactory ventilation 
usual in such places. As a rule the Russian or 
vapor bath is to be preferred to the Turkish, or 
dry, hot air. Especially if one is not very strong 
the steam bath is preferable. If one is vigorous, 
however, and has a strong heart, the dry hot air 
room will be very effective. Naturally the "rub- 
bing" and other adjunctive treatment in 
the Turkish bath establishment are all bene- 
ficial. 

The influence of these measures (the Russian 
and Turkish baths) in purifying the blood may 
be secured at home through the agency of other 
baths. A cabinet bath in the home will be 
equally effective in providing either a steam bath 
or a dry, hot-air bath. Naturally, a shower, or 
at least a quick sponging with cold water, should 
follow all such baths. 

If there is no bath cabinet in the home beneficial 
results can be secured by means of a hot-water 
bath. Hot water has a profound influence upon 
the elimination of wastes and impurities through 
the skin. In cases of kidney disease, where the 
kidneys are unable to perform their work, it is 

189 



VITALITY SUPREME 

often possible to keep one alive by making the 
skin do the work of the kidneys through frequent 
hot baths. The tub should be filled with hot 
water at a temperature of from 105 up to 112 or 
115 degrees Fahrenheit, that is to say, as hot as 
it can be endured, and one should remain in this 
bath from ten to twenty minutes, or as long as 
one's condition will permit. It may be a good 
plan to get into the water at a lower temperature, 
for instance starting with water at 102 to 104 
degrees, hiei* afterwards adding hot water so as 
to raise the temperature to 108 or 112 degrees, 
or even higher. It is really necessary to use a 
bath thermometer (they can be obtained at a cost 
of ten or fifteen cents in any drug store) to regu- 
late the temperature of the water. Sufferers 
from any derangement of the heart or those 
handicapped by serious vital depletion should 
not use the water too hot. In such cases it may 
be well to limit the temperature to 103 to 105 
degrees and to limit the duration of the bath 
to five or ten minutes. In such cases it will be 
necessary to take the bath more frequently, per- 
haps each evening, in order to secure results in 
the way of active elimination. If one is strong 
enough, however, and merely wishes to purify 
the blood one may be able to stay in the water 
from twenty to thirty minutes and to raise the 
temperature of the bath to 115 degrees or more. 
The hot bath is much used in Japan and the 
natives there almost parboil themselves, using 

190 



BLOOD PURIFICATION 

water at a temperature as high as 120 degrees. 
But it is not necessary to go to such extremes. 
It is most important that one should leave the 
bath immediately upon feeling any sense of 
weakness, dizziness or discomfort of any sort. 
If you feel oppressed by a sense of overheating, 
do not linger in the water but get out of it im- 
mediately. You will usually find that your face 
will perspire freely within a few minutes after 
being in the bath. This indicaf '~'ts rapid 
eliminative effect. Such a bath will not accom- 
plish exactly the same work as a cabinet or Turk- 
ish bath, but good results can be secured there- 
from. The hot bath when used for perspiration 
purposes should be followed by a quick sponging 
with cold water or by a cold shower. An excel- 
lent plan is to have conveniently at hand what is 
called a hand spray, attached to a long rubber 
tube. By attaching this to the faucet and turn- 
ing on the cold water one may quickly spray all 
parts of the body while standing in the tub of hot 
water. Finally, the feet may be sprayed with 
cold water on getting out of the tub. Rub dry 
quickly and thoroughly with a rough towel, after 
which wrap up warmly so that you may con- 
tinue to perspire. It is most essential that one 
should not cool off too quickly and certainly 
that one should not become chilled after a bath of 
this sort. This hot bath is rather strenuous treat- 
ment, but it is effective, if one is strong vitally, 
for rapidly purifying the blood and eliminating 

191 



VITALITY SUPREME 

the poisons in the body in any toxemic condition. 
It will be found valuable in the case of grippe or 
of a bad cold, in syphilis, or in any other 
disease characterized by a poisoned condition 
of the system and in which there is no fever 
present. In the case of fever, which also in- 
variably involves a toxemic condition of the 
body, the elimination of the poisons through the 
skin should be accomplished by methods which 
do not involve the external use of heat in this 
manner. 

Wet-sheet packs, both of the entire body and 
of parts of the body, are among the most effec- 
tive of rapid blood-purifying measures. Fre- 
quently where one is confined to bed a hot-blan- 
ket pack will answer the same purpose as the 
hot bath just described. Where there is high 
fever a cold wet-sheet pack may be employed. 
This will relieve the high temperature to a marked 
extent, and will also eliminate the poisons of the 
body in a most remarkable way. The sheet 
pack is applied by first wringing one or two 
sheets out of cold water and then wrapping them 
completely around the naked patient, with the 
exception of the head. If a single sheet is used 
the flap on one side may be wrapped around the 
body under the arms and the flap from the other 
side passed over the outside of the arms. The 
patient should then be wrapped up thoroughly 
with warm blankets, fastened with safety pins. 
He will quickly react with warmth, although if 

192 



BLOOD PURIFICATION 

the vitality is low it may be well to place hot irons 
at the feet to insure quick recuperation with 
warmth. One may remain in such a pack for 
two or three hours, or if it is applied in the even- 
ing one may remain in it all night, provided sleep 
follows and no discomfort is noticed. 

Where the recuperative powers are weak a 
wet-sheet pack which covers the entire body, may 
tax the vitality too much and under such circum- 
stances a chest and abdominal pack may be used. 
This is really a partial sheet pack covering the 
trunk of the body from the hips and abdomen to 
the line running round the chest just under the 
arms. A hot pack of this kind is in itself very 
effective, although where there is fever the pack 
should be applied cold. In all such packs it is 
well to lay several blankets on your couch first, 
then quickly place the wet sheet upon it so that 
after the sheet has been wrapped around the 
body the sides of the blanket can be pulled over 
so as completely to envelop the patient. 

These methods are all suggested because of 
their effectiveness in stimulating the activity of 
the skin where one is not able to bring this about 
through exercise and perspiration. In all chronic 
conditions, however, in which it is essential to 
purify the blood, the daily practice of dry friction 
or air baths is particularly advised. Do not over- 
look the value of the hot-water-drinking regimen 
in combination with exercise, which I offered in 
the chapter on Cleansing and Stimulating the 

14 193 



VITALITY SUPREME 

Alimentary Canal. It is especially important 
to guard against constipation if there is any 
tendency in that direction, and above all things, 
daily muscular activity is absolutely essential. 
Inasmuch as many foods have great value in the 
purification of the blood, I have referred to this 
particular aspect of the question in the chapter 
on What to Eat. 

Before leaving this subject it should be said 
that where there is any necessity for a rapid, 
thorough and effective cleansing of the entire 
system there is nothing that will accomplish this 
result as effectually as fasting. Fasting is the 
greatest of all methods of purification. Where 
there is any derangement of the system, with 
temporary loss of appetite, it is usually advisable 
to fast until the appetite returns and a short fast 
of from one to three days is usually sufficient. 
Where there is any serious disorder and it is 
necessary to undergo an extensive course of 
blood purification a prolonged fast of many days 
or even several weeks may be required. Fasting 
is such an important subject in itself that I can- 
not give any detailed suggestions in regard to 
it in this volume. Before fasting one should 
make a comprehensive study of its physical ef- 
fects and especially should one be informed on 
proper methods of breaking a fast. 

During a fast all of the eliminative functions 
of the body are exceedingly active. If there is 
any surplus material the body consumes it dur- 

194 



BLOOD PURIFICATION 

ing the fast. Owing to the complete rest of the 
digestive system the energy which ordinarily is 
required in the digestion of food is free to be 
diverted to the work of elimination. It would 
seem that under these circumstances all of the 
functions of the body are especially active in the 
blood-purifying processes. 

You should remember, however, that even a 
fast will naturally be made much more effective 
by the general blood-purifying methods which I 
have given in this chapter. The measures sug- 
gested for increasing the activity of the skin will 
all be especially valuable if employed as adjuncts 
to the fast. The free drinking of water and es- 
pecially the hot-water-drinking plan, together 
with the colon-flushing treatment, will likewise 
help to facilitate the cleansing and blood-purify- 
ing action of the fast. 

Pure blood is the all-important factor in 
health. If the blood is not pure it can be made 
pure by the methods which I have suggested. 
Remember that this purity depends first upon 
pure food and functional strength, in order that 
a good quality of blood may be produced; and 
secondly, upon active elimination of wastes, poi- 
sons and impurities in general. 



195 



CHAPTER XVII 

Hints on Bathing 

I HAVE already referred to the value of ac- 
celerating the activity of the functions of 
the skin. The ordinary practice of bathing 
is of great importance in this connection. Many 
diseases would be prevented if the skin were thor- 
oughly cleansed with due regularity. 

Probably a weekly soap-and-water bath is all 
that is absolutely essential for cleanliness if one 
follows a daily regimen which will maintain a 
condition of internal cleanliness. In fact, the 
cleansing of the external body is not required 
with such frequency if one secures sufficient mus- 
cular exercise and follows a dietetic and general 
regimen that will guarantee sufficient activity of 
all the eliminative functions; but if one neglects 
to employ other measures that help to maintain 
the purity of the blood and the activity of the 
skin, then more frequent baths are required to 
insure cleanliness. It has been my custom to 
recommend a hot soap-and-water bath once or 
twice a week, depending upon the individual re- 
quirements, and a daily cold bath. The hot bath 
is to be used as a cleansing agent while the cold 

196 



HINTS ON BATHING 

bath is a tonic exclusively. A regimen of this 
sort will usually be satisfactory where one is tak- 
ing a general system of exercise nearly every day 
which will insure a certain amount of internal 
functional activity. Note, however, that the 
cold bath, though of some value, is not necessary, 
when following the hot-water-drinking regimen. 

There has been much controversy as to whether 
or not cold baths are really beneficial, since 
in some cases they have proved harmful. Under 
such circumstances the failure to secure good 
results may have been due to ignorance of the 
principles involved and to the lack of vitality 
essential to reaction from the shock of the cold 
water. A great deal depends upon the manner 
in which the cold bath is taken and the physical 
condition of the individual taking it. 

A cold bath is a strong stimulant to the en- 
tire circulatory system, provided one can recu- 
perate with a feeling of warmth immediately 
thereafter. If this feeling of warmth does not 
follow, if you feel cold, uncomfortable, nervous 
and trembling for some time after the bath, the 
shock has been too severe and is not of advan- 
tage. Under such circumstances it is better 
either to avoid the bath altogether or else take 
more exercise in order more thoroughly to warm 
the body before taking the bath. Usually if one 
is warm before bathing and if the cold bath is 
taken in a warm room it is easy to recuperate 
from it. Another good suggestion in a case of 

197 



VITALITY SUPREME 

this kind is to decrease the duration of the bath. 
Do not stay in the water too long. In some 
cases what is sometimes called a hand bath may 
be advantageous. This bath is taken by merely 
wetting the hands several times in the water and 
applying the moist palms to all parts of the body. 
The familiar sponge bath, so-called, using either 
a sponge or a washcloth, is often advised, al- 
though the hand bath just mentioned is even 
easier to take. 

I have also frequently recommended the use 
of the dry friction bath, following exercise, as 
a means of preparing the body for a cold bath. 
I have already referred to these dry friction 
rubbings as a means of accelerating the activity 
of the skin. This friction bath will, in nearly all 
cases, warm the skin sufficiently to enable one 
thoroughly to enjoy the cold water. In fact, this 
friction is to a cold bath what appetite is to eat- 
ing. You should enjoy your meals and you 
should enjoy your cold bath. It is only when the 
cold bath is a pleasure that it is a benefit. If you 
dread it, if the mere thought of taking a cold 
bath brings a shudder, it will not be of benefit 
to you. You should feel sufficiently vigorous 
and vital really to enjoy it. A friction bath will 
put your skin in a condition where the cold 
water will "feel good." Exercise that thor- 
oughly warms the body will naturally have the 
same effect. 

The statement has often been made that to 

198 



HINTS ON BATHING 

take a cold bath when overheated is dangerous 
just as it would be to drink a large amount of 
very cold water when overheated. It is said that 
one should wait until he cools off before taking 
the cold drink or cold plunge. To a limited ex- 
tent there is wisdom in this advice, especially as 
it applies to getting into cold water when over- 
heated and then remaining there until you have 
cooled off. Such quick cooling is certainly dan- 
gerous, just as drinking too much very cold water 
is dangerous. On the other hand, a short quick 
cold bath under such circumstances is not danger- 
ous but highly advisable. The danger in such 
cases lies in remaining in the water until chilled. 
As a matter of fact, when one is overheated he 
can thoroughly enjoy the cold water. You will 
recuperate quickly under such conditions and you 
can better afford to take a cold bath when very 
hot than when chilled. Do not attempt cold 
bathing when you have "goose flesh" or when 
your hands and feet are cold. Under such cir- 
cumstances the hand bath is preferable. It is 
always best when overheated to cool off gradu- 
ally, and after the bath taken under such circum- 
stances to use a sweater or bath robe or other 
covering to insure the desired result. When one 
is overheated, it is best to drink water lukewarm 
or hot or only moderately cool. If you drink 
lukewarm water when overheated you can take 
any quantity desired. 

As previously stated, however, I would like to 

199 



VITALITY SUPREME 

point out that if you are carrying out the regi- 
men of hot-water-drinking and exercise pre- 
viously referred to, a daily cold bath is not at all 
necessary. It might be taken with benefit if you 
are vigorous, but by flushing the body with a 
large amount of liquid according to the plan I 
have suggested virtually all functions of the 
body, including that of the skin itself, are acceler- 
ated in their activities. Under such circum- 
stances less bathing is required, at least for the 
purpose of maintaining proper circulation and 
functional activity. Therefore the question may 
be left open for each individual to determine. 
One may take a cold bath or not, just as he may 
desire, while following the regimen referred to. 
Many who enjoy a cold bath are inclined to 
stay in the water too long. In this way one may 
deprive himself of some of the benefits that 
might be derived therefrom. It is safer to limit 
the cold bath to a short period. The chief value 
lies in the reaction. If this is secured then all 
is well. The first effect of the cold water is to 
contract the tissues at the surface of the body, 
including the blood vessels, thus forcing the blood 
away from the skin. In the reaction the blood 
is brought back to the surface in large quanti- 
ties, producing the glow that is noticed after a 
successful cold bath. After a short plunge or 
quick shower this reaction should be secured. 
By staying in the water too long one may over- 
tax his vitality and become chilled. When tak- 

200 



HINTS ON BATHING 

ing a plunge simply allow the water to come in 
contact with all parts of the body; then immedi- 
ately get out. 

If the recuperative powers are defective you 
should not use cold water, though the hand bath 
as described should be satisfactory. In such 
cases, however, by maintaining the warmth of the 
feet you can recuperate quickly and easily. If 
you will stand with your feet in hot water while 
taking the hand bath, or sponge bath, or when us- 
ing a hand spray in the bathtub, recuperation will 
be easier. When the feet are warm the circula- 
tion is more easily maintained. Following a hot 
bath, the hand spray can be used for the shower, 
applying the water quickly to all parts of the 
body before getting out of the tub. One should 
always use a cold sponge, spray, or shower, after 
a hot bath to close the pores. Then rub dry 
quickly and vigorously with a Turkish towel. 

A sitz bath is recommended instead of a full 
tub bath, as it is a tonic of great value through 
its effect upon certain sympathetic nerve cen- 
tres. This bath consists in immersing only the 
central part of the body, namely, the hips and 
abdomen. Special sitz tubs are manufactured, 
but one can use an ordinary wash tub. An 
ordinary bathtub will serve if filled with water 
about six to ten inches deep. Put the feet on 
the edge of the tub and lower the hips down 
into the water. This bath is especially valuable 
as a means of stimulating functional activity. 

201 



VITALITY SUPREME 

The colder the water for the sitz bath the bet- 
ter, although if one is lacking in vitality, it 
should not be below 70 degrees Fahrenheit. 
A hot sitz bath may sometimes be suggested for 
inflammatory and painful conditions in the pelvic 
region. In inflammation of the bladder, for in- 
stance, it is valuable. 

When taking hot baths for cleansing purposes 
the soap used is of some importance; especially 
so if the skin is thin or too dry. In such cases 
strong soaps are injurious, although their effect 
may be overcome to some extent by rubbing the 
body after the bath with a very little bit of olive 
oil. I would suggest, however, the use of a pure 
vegetable oil soap, such as castile, which is one 
of the best examples of a vegetable soap. This 
soap may be suggested in all cases, but it is par- 
ticularly important when the skin is thin or dry. 
Very frequently dryness of skin is noticed in 
those of very light complexion. In the preced- 
ing chapter on Blood Purification I referred to 
a hot bath for the purpose of rapidly eliminat- 
ing poisons and wastes in the body. An or- 
dinary warm bath for cleansing purposes need 
not be taken at such a high temperature. In 
other words a soap-and-water bath will be per- 
fectly satisfactory at a temperature of 103° to 
105° F. and need not occupy more than a very 
few minutes, whereas the hot bath referred 
to for the special purpose of blood purification 
may be of longer duration and of a much higher 

202 



HINTS ON BATHING 

temperature, running up to 110 or 115 degrees 
Fahrenheit. 

There is another type of warm bath, however, 
which is of special value in many cases. This is 
what I have sometimes termed a neutral bath, 
inasmuch as it is neither hot nor cold. This is 
a bath at about the temperature of the body, that 
is to say, 95 to 98 degrees Fahrenheit. One 
should use a bath thermometer to be sure of the 
right temperature. This neutral bath has a seda- 
tive or quieting effect upon the nerves through its 
effect upon the innumerable nerve endings in the 
skin. It is neither hot nor cold, neither stimulat- 
ing nor weakening, and one could remain in such 
a bath for hours without harm. It has a quieting 
effect upon the nerves and reference has been 
made to it in the chapter on Sleep as a means of 
overcoming excitement or nervousness. In at- 
tacks of mania it is especially valuable, and is now 
extensively used in all insane asylums because of 
its wonderful effect in quieting the nerves. This 
bath at 98 degrees is also especially commended 
in the case of severe burns covering a large sur- 
face. It is about the only way in which a per- 
son suffering from such an extensive burn can be 
made comfortable. It is also one of the most 
perfect forms of treatment in a case of that kind. 
The serious character of the burn depends not so 
much upon the severity as upon the extent of the 
surface involved. Therefore, one who has been 
seriously burned could remain immersed in a 

203 



VITALITY SUPREME 

bath at 98 degrees F. for many days continu- 
ously, or until the skin has had a chance to heal. 
Immersion in water is a natural condition, for 
there was a time away back when all the animal 
life of the earth was found in the water. It was 
only through special variation in the character of 
evolution that certain forms of life finally became 
adapted to a life outside of the water. There- 
fore, immersion in water, except for the head, is 
not entirely an unnatural condition. 



204 



CHAPTER XVIII 

Some Facts About Clothing 

THE statement is often heard that a man is 
made or marred by the clothes he wears. 
This is frequently said with a view to em- 
phasizing the importance of being presentably 
appareled, but it has a meaning beyond this. To 
a certain extent we are really made, or we may 
more properly say marred, by the clothes we 
wear. Civilized costumes have become what 
they are through the dictation of the creators of 
style, the clothing manufacturers. Every year 
the styles change through the commands of those 
whose profits are increased by this continual 
variation in the fashions. It is said that a woman 
would rather be out of the world than out of 
style. Therefore, each year she discards her old- 
style costumes and buys the latest modes. 

We have to recognize, however, that clothing 
is a necessary evil at this period of human prog- 
ress, so-called. There was a time when clothing 
was worn entirely as a matter of protection or 
as a means of adding warmth to the body. 
There was no thought given to the necessity for 
covering the body, for every part of the human 
anatomy was as commonplace as nose, fingers 

205 



VITALITY SUPREME 

and toes. But now clothing is commanded as a 
means of hiding our bodily contour. Prudery 
has come in and branded the human anatomy as 
indecent and consequently it must be covered. 

Now in considering what we should wear we 
are compelled to adhere, at least to a reasonable 
extent, to what we call style, but beyond this our 
first thought must be for bodily comfort. And 
in speaking of comfort we mean not only the 
warmth essential to this but also the ability to 
use every part of our bodily structure with as 
little restraint as possible. If we could wear a 
costume which would permit us to feel just as 
free and untrammelled in our movements as we 
do when without clothing such a form of dress 
would be ideal. Our movements should not be 
restricted by our clothing any more than is abso- 
lutely unavoidable. The ordinary skirt, sup- 
posed to be a necessary part of feminine apparel, 
is in its nature an evil of first importance. 
Every step taken by a woman wearing such a 
garment is hampered; she is continuously handi- 
capped by her skirt. If a man were compelled 
to walk through tall, heavy grass all his life he 
would get some idea of the extent to which the 
feminine skirt interferes with the freedom of 
woman. 

Numerous other defects of our costumes inter- 
fere with bodily freedom. Take our tight and 
ungainly shoes. Here is an abominable instance 
of our slavery to style. In most instances the 

206 



FACTS ABOUT CLOTHING 

foot is made to fit the shoe, and the suffering 
that is endured by many so-called stylish people 
for the purpose of making the foot fit the shoe 
would be difficult to describe. A shoe should fit 
the foot. The more nearly you approximate the 
same freedom when walking in a shoe as you do 
when barefooted the more perfect the shoe. The 
toes should not be squeezed out of shape. 
The great toe should follow the straight line of 
the inside of the foot instead of being bent over 
to the position normally occupied by the middle 
toe. All the toes should be allowed to spread out 
in the shoe, at least to a reasonable extent. 
Furthermore, a shoe that really fits should feel 
comfortable the first time it is put on. There 
should be no necessity for "breaking in" a shoe. 

The artificial heel added to the ordinary shoe 
is another curious freak of fashion. If the Al- 
mighty in perfecting the human foot had found 
a high heel necessary it would have been pro- 
vided. The artificial heel, especially the very 
high heel commonly used on shoes worn by 
women, is an insult to Nature, to the Creator. 
Some day, when we are really civilized, high 
heels will be unknown. I am convinced that the 
Omnipotent Creator knew his business thor- 
oughly when he created the human foot, that the 
sole of the human foot, heel included, was made 
for locomotion, and that it is impossible for hu- 
man ingenuity to improve upon the foot. In 
other words, if you can secure footwear that 

207 



VITALITY SUPREME 

will enable you to walk with the same freedom 
that you can enjoy when barefooted, you will 
then have attained perfection in foot covering. 
Sandals and moccasins allow the feet the same 
freedom as one enjoys when barefooted. The 
sole of these forms of footwear has the same 
freedom in gripping the ground and adapting 
itself to the requirements of every step as the 
bare foot, and it is a curious and yet signifi- 
cant fact that whereas more or less foot trouble 
is the rule rather than the exception among civ- 
ilized peoples, yet those races who wear mocca- 
sins or sandals, or go barefooted, never have flat- 
foot, broken arches, bunions or other defects of 
this type. 

Passing to the other extreme of the body, our 
tight hats should be condemned. Hats should 
be as light as possible and should not be so tight 
as to interfere with the circulation of the scalp. 
Many bald headed men owe their loss of hair to 
tight hats. 

The stiff collars worn everywhere at the pres- 
ent time mar the natural contour of the neck, 
make an erect position more difficult, and are one 
cause of the round shoulders that are so common 
everywhere to-day. The suspenders worn by 
men have also an influence of this sort. They 
are inclined to pull the shoulders forward and 
make it more difficult to maintain an erect posi- 
tion. The flat-chested man will not feel his sus- 
penders, but the man with a full round chest, 

208 






FACTS ABOUT CLOTHING 

properly carried, is under continuous pressure 
from his suspenders. 

If I were to select an ideal costume for men 
I am inclined to think that I would go back to 
the Roman toga, to the flowing drapery of the 
Greeks, or to the Scottish kilt. The kilt is un- 
doubtedly better suited than the robe to the 
colder weather of Northern Europe and Amer- 
ica. These costumes not only allow a reasonable 
amount of freedom for all bodily movements, en- 
couraging rather than discouraging the correct 
position of the body, but they also allow free cir- 
culation of air to the central portions of the 
body. As a hygienic feature this is of tremen- 
dous value. The air coming in contact with the 
skin is of value at all times, but it is especially 
required in these important parts of the bodily 
organism. Many weaknesses are brought about 
through the unhealthful covering and restriction 
of these parts. Trousers are not by any means 
an ideal garment. To be sure, they are a vast 
improvement over the long skirt, but they are not 
by any means equal in healthfulness to the cos- 
tume of the Scottish Highlanders. 

In feminine apparel corsets are perhaps pro- 
ductive of more injury than any other part of 
the costume. The injury wrought by tight lac- 
ing is now everywhere understood, and in recent 
years large waists have become stylish. This 
tendency of the times will ultimately mean the 
elimination of the corset. 

15 209 



VITALITY SUPREME 

When fully clothed we should have the same 
freedom of movement as when unclothed. The 
most perfect costume is our "birthday cloth- 
ing," the clothing with which we came into the 
world, the human skin. To be sure, in cold cli- 
mates bodily covering is necessary for warmth a 
part of the year, though in warm climates, or 
warm seasons, the more nearly we avoid restric- 
tive apparel, the more happy and more healthy 
we are. The ideal costume in warm weather, 
therefore, would be no costume, but conventions 
demand that we cover our nakedness, and this 
command should be followed in a manner that 
will restrain our movements as little as possible. 

The question of color is an important factor 
in clothing. This is especially true in summer 
when exposure to the sun makes it especially nec- 
essary to consider our comfort. All dark-col- 
ored clothing absorbs the heat and the sun be- 
comes very oppressive to the wearer. Then, too, 
black and dark-colored coverings shut out the 
light, another objectionable feature. In my 
reference to sun baths in the preceding chapter 
on Blood Purification I placed special emphasis 
upon the value of light as a vitalizing and stimu- 
lating factor in life and health. Ordinarily we 
not only smother our skins so far as the air is con- 
cerned, but we also shut out the light, hiding our 
bodies in a cellar, so to speak. Our bodies need 
light as well as air and for this reason dark col- 
ored clothing cannot be recommended. For 

210 



FACTS ABOUT CLOTHING 

warmth when in the sunshine during the winter, 
black is very effective. When out of the sun- 
shine black is cooler in winter than light-colored 
fabrics because it quickly radiates the body heat. 
It is well known that a black stove radiates the 
heat much faster than a nickel-plated or brightly 
polished stove. 

White or light-colored garments are advised 
in summer, both because they are cooler* and be- 
cause they permit the light to reach the skin. 
The Arabs, Bedouins and others who live in un- 
forested countries where they are much exposed 
to the tropical sun use turbans and flowing robes 
of white as a means of keeping cool. Pure white 
is often unserviceable, because it quickly becomes 
soiled, and therefore gray and tan-colored gar- 
ments are recommended. 

It is easily possible to absorb too much sun- 
shine, especially in the lower latitudes. The 
various races of the earth enjoy a degree of pig- 
mentation of the skin corresponding to the in- 
tensity of the sunlight in the latitude to which 
they have become accustomed through the course 
of evolution. Equatorial races are black, far- 
northern races are blonde with very fair skin, and 
those occupying mean latitudes are either brown 
or olive-hued. Brunettes or fairly dark-com- 
plexioned white men can stand more sunshine 
than the blue-eyed, fair-skinned types of Scot- 
land, Norway and Sweden. Where the latter 
are exposed to intensely strong sunshine in lati- 

211 



VITALITY SUPREME 

tudes further south than their natural home, and 
especially when visiting the tropics, where the 
sun's rays are nearly vertical, some special pro- 
tection from the excessive light is necessary. 
Then the upper or outer clothing should be white 
or light-colored, but an undergarment of some 
opaque or dark-colored material should be used 
to shut out the lights In the case of tropical ani- 
mals Nature provides a light-colored or tawny 
growth of hair, with an underlying black or 
heavily pigmented skin. The white man when 
in the tropics or when subject to the chemical 
rays of the sun in midsummer would do well to 
follow Nature's example, wearing light clothing 
outside with black- or orange-colored or other 
opaque underwear. The hat should be white or 
tan or light-colored on top, but with a dark-col- 
ored lining extending under the brim. Blonde 
types spending the summer in a latitude like that 
of Texas or Mexico would do well to consider 
these suggestions. Sunlight is essential to life. 
Sun baths are invaluable and ordinarily our 
clothing should be such as to permit the light to 
reach the skin. But when the sun's rays are 
nearly vertical fair-skinned persons may easily 
protect themselves and maintain comfort by fol- 
lowing this suggestion. 

As a general thing, during both winter and 
summer, one should wear no more clothing than 
necessary, and that should be of a type to per- 
mit easy access of air to the skin. For this rea- 

212 



FACTS ABOUT CLOTHING 

son the character of one's underwear is impor- 
tant. Wool is undoubtedly warmer and more or 
less suitable for exceptionally cold weather; yet 
for most purposes linen is to be preferred be- 
cause of its more porous character. Linen per- 
mits of free circulation of the air, and when the 
underwear is woven with an open mesh it is 
especially satisfactory. Next to linen cotton is 
to be preferred, being likewise porous. The 
question of underwear is one to be determined 
largely by individual taste and requirements, 
but always it should be understood that one 
should wear underwear as light as is consistent 
with warmth and as porous as possible. This 
principle should also apply in the matter of shoes. 
Air-tight foot coverings are highly detrimental 
as well as uncomfortable. Leather in its natural 
state is porous and therefore a healthful foot 
covering. Patent-leather shoes, however, have 
been made air-tight by a special process, and are 
very hot, uncomfortable and unsanitary. The 
sole of the shoe should consist of nothing but 
plain leather. So-called waterproofing proc- 
esses, making the shoe air-tight as well as water- 
proof, should be avoided. Patented, waterproof 
soles- are highly objectionable. If you can have 
your shoes made to order see to it that the sole 
consists of nothing but leather — indeed a single 
layer of good sole leather is most satisfactory. 
Although such shoes will absorb water they will 
dry readily, and the disadvantage of wet feet on 

313 



VITALITY SUPREME 

occasions is more than offset by the benefits 
gained from a porous foot covering the rest of 
the time. Anyway, wet feet are unimportant if 
the feet are warm. 

A word about winter clothing. Heavy under- 
clothing is entirely unsuited to the temperatures 
maintained inside our houses during the winter. 
We usually have a summer temperature indoors 
in winter and should wear summer clothing. It 
is true that we require warmer clothing out-of- 
doors in winter, but this should be used only when 
out-of-doors; we should not wear heavy, warm 
garments both indoors and out. Therefore, 
while the farmer who spends the day in the open 
would probably need heavy warm underwear, 
the city man should dress approximately the 
same as in summer when indoors, and add the 
garments necessary for additional warmth when 
going out. Sweaters, gaiters and overcoats 
should be depended on when going out-of-doors 
instead of heavy undergarments. 

Clothing, as I have said, is a necessary evil. 
So far as possible it should not hamper our move- 
ments and should not deprive our bodies of light 
and air. Since it is necessary to wear clothing, 
I would strongly emphasize the importance of 
taking air baths at frequent intervals. When 
spending the evening in the privacy of your own 
room, studying or writing letters, you have a 
good opportunity to enjoy an air bath during 
the entire evening. And furthermore, when at 

214 



FACTS ABOUT CLOTHING 

home you should lay aside your coat and use no 
more bodily covering than is necessary. If you 
cannot take sun baths at a special hour each day, 
then I would advise that when taking your walk 
out-of-doors in the sunshine you wear clothing of 
such a character as to admit the rays of the sun, 
thus enabling you to enjoy a sun bath during 
your walk. A special suit of clothes, made of 
natural-colored linen, with a thin light shirt, 
light-colored socks and no underwear, would 
answer all purposes admirably. 



215 



CHAPTER XIX 

Suggestions About Sleep 

SLEEP is one of the first essentials in main « 
taining or in building vitality. There are 
differences of opinion as to how much sleep 
may be necessary to health, but that sufficient 
sleep is required if one wishes to maintain the 
maximum of energy no one can question. 

Sleep is far more necessary than food. One 
can fast for many days, or many weeks if neces- 
sary, and without any special disadvantage if 
he is well nourished before beginning the fast 
and has a satisfactory food supply after its con- 
clusion, but no one can "fast" from sleep for 
more than a few days at a time without experi- 
encing ill effects. One can scarcely endure an 
entire week of absolute sleeplessness. It has 
been found that dogs kept awake even though 
sufficiently fed, suffer more than when deprived 
of food and permitted to sleep. When kept 
awake continuously they die in four or five days. 
Man can endure the strain a little longer than 
the dogs, but five or six days usually marks 
the limit of human life under such conditions. 

In early English history condemned criminals 

216 



SLEEP SUGGESTIONS 

were put to death by being deprived of sleep, and 
the same method has been employed in China. 
Enforced sleeplessness, in fact, has been used as 
a form of torture by the Chinese, being more 
feared than any other. The men subjected to 
this frightful ordeal always die raving maniacs. 

These facts illustrate only too well the impera- 
tive necessity for sleep. Unfortunately "late 
hours" prevail, especially in large cities. Mani- 
festly, if complete lack of sleep is fatal, late hours 
and partial lack of sleep is at least devitalizing 
and detrimental to health. The late hours kept 
by large numbers of people in civilized countries 
undoubtedly contribute very largely to neuras- 
thenia and allied diseases. Improvements in ar- 
tificial lights have contributed largely toward 
the increase of the evil of late hours, injurious not 
only through the loss of sleep entailed, but also 
because of the eye-strain incidental to strong 
artificial lights and the drain on the nervous sys- 
tem. If civilized man would follow the example 
of primitive man and of many of the birds and 
animals in retiring to bed with the coming of 
darkness and arising with the appearance of day- 
light, this one change would revolutionize the 
health of the whole human race. 

How much sleep do we need? This is a ques- 
tion that cannot be answered arbitrarily as ap- 
plying in all cases. Individuals differ. With- 
out doubt, some require more sleep than others. 

2X7 



VITALITY SUPREME 

Thomas A. Edison, who is an extraordinary 
man, not only in respect to his vitality but in 
every other characteristic as well, has frequently 
been quoted as saying that most men and women 
sleep too much. Mr. Edison himself claims to 
maintain the best of health with from three to 
five hours' sleep out of every twenty-four. We 
have heard of other cases too, of men and women 
with exceptional vitality, who have seemed to 
thrive on four or five hours' sleep. It is possible 
that this small allowance of sleep may be suffi- 
cient in such cases, but if so, it is undoubtedly 
due to the exceptionally powerful organ- 
ism which these particular persons have in- 
herited. 

No definite rule can be laid down as to the 
amount of sleep required by different individuals, 
for those possessing the greatest amount of vital- 
ity and the strongest organisms will require 
less sleep than those of limited vitality and 
weak functional powers. Those possessing a 
strong functional system and great vitality are 
able to build up energy during sleep and recu- 
perate from the exertions of the preceding day 
more rapidly than can those less favored in 
this respect. In other words, a very strong man 
can be quickly rested. His system can more 
rapidly than that of a weak man repair the wear 
and tear of his daily work. The man or woman 
with limited strength and a less vigorous func- 
tional system would require a longer time in 

218 



SLEEP SUGGESTIONS 

which to recuperate. Therefore, what would 
hold good in the case of such an extraordinary 
man as Mr. Edison cannot be depended upon in 
the case of the average man or woman, and cer- 
tainly will not meet the needs of those who are 
debilitated and striving to build vitality. 

Generally speaking, therefore, I maintain that 
most people at the present day sleep too little 
rather than too much. I would not stipulate any 
special number of hours for sleeping but I would 
advise everyone to secure as much sleep as he 
requires. It has often been said that if you 
sleep too much you will be stupid as a result. 
Such results are usually brought about by sleep- 
ing in unsatisfactory environment, particularly 
in stuffy rooms in which the air is vitiated and 
really unfit to breathe. I cannot imagine one 
feeling stupid as a result of oversleeping when 
sleeping out-of-doors, or when the supply of air 
is absolutely fresh. Excessive heat would prob- 
ably be conducive to restlessness, but this is 
purely a detail which I shall take up later. Un- 
der natural and healthful conditions one will 
rarely sleep too much. If you sleep until you 
wake up naturally there is little danger of your 
sleeping too much. Without doubt most people 
need from seven to eight hours' sleep: some of 
them need more, particularly women and chil- 
dren, who in many cases require from nine to ten 
hours' sleep or even more. These are general 
statements. Individual exceptions will be many, 

219 



VITALITY SUPREME 

but, as I have said, it will be found that those who 
need less sleep are men and women of extraor- 
dinary vitality. 

The quality of sleep is really more important 
than the duration of sleep. It is quality or 
depth of sleep that is really what counts, and to 
secure this it is necessary that certain healthful 
conditions be observed. The first of these is a 
normal condition of physical or muscular fatigue. 
This is easily distinguished from nervous fatigue 
or exhaustion in which the entire system is more 
or less upset. Abnormal states of this sort arise 
from excitement, excessive mental work, or other 
conditions involving severe nerve strain. This 
nervous fatigue is not usually conducive to sleep, 
but a tired condition of the muscles of the body 
generally, as a result of natural physical activity, 
is always favorable to sleep. Many who com- 
plain of insomnia, therefore, would often be able 
to remedy their trouble by the simple expedient 
of a long walk, covering sufficient distance to 
bring about the physical fatigue which makes 
sleep possible. Conditions of air, temperature 
and bed covering are also important factors in 
connection with the quality of sleep. 

If you are a sound sleeper it may be possible 
for you to secure more benefit from three to. four 
hours' sleep than a shallow sleeper may secure in 
eight hours of a lighter degree of sleep. This 
extreme depth of sleep means complete rest for 
the brain, absolute loss of consciousness, and, to 

220 



SLEEP SUGGESTIONS 

a certain extent, loss of sensibility in respect to 
our senses. In the lighter degree of sleep certain 
parts of the brain may be at rest, while others are 
more or less active. Dreaming represents a state 
of partial consciousness rather than a condition 
of complete rest, inasmuch as various parts of 
the brain are active. One may thus be conscious 
of his dreams. There is no doubt, however, that 
in other cases various parts of the brain may be 
active though we may not be conscious of their 
activity. We have all heard of instances where 
mathematical problems appear to have been 
worked out during sleep, and we have heard of 
musical compositions and poems being produced 
during sleep. All these phenomena represent a 
condition in which one is partly asleep and partly 
awake; in other words, some parts of the brain 
are active and others are asleep. In extreme 
depth of sleep when all the mental faculties are 
at rest, the energies are relaxed, and the activities 
of the body are at a low ebb; it is such sound 
sleep that makes for rapid recuperation. The 
deepest sleep generally occurs within the first few 
hours after falling to sleep, and it gradually be- 
comes lighter and lighter in degree until con- 
sciousness is reached. Dreams, therefore, repre- 
sent partial consciousness and usually appear 
in the earlier hours of the morning. When one 
states that he dreams all night he is invariably 
mistaken. One may seem to live over periods 
of days and even years in a dream, the actual 

221 



VITALITY SUPREME 

duration of which may be measured in minutes. 
The chances are that the dreamer enjoyed a 
sound sleep before his dreaming commenced. 

Although I have said that depth of sleep is 
more important than the duration of sleep, yet it 
is true that when one sleeps very soundly he 
usually sleeps longer. In other words, when one 
reaches great depth of sleep the transition to the 
period of wakefulness is only gradual, and it re- 
quires a longer time to complete the sleep and 
wake up than it would if one did not sleep so 
deeply, or, as we would say, so soundly. It will 
be found that healthy children, who unquestion- 
ably sleep very soundly, also sleep for many 
hours at a time. They may have dreams but 
these occur in the later hours of sleep, as every 
mother has observed. The man or woman well 
advanced in years who can secure the same depth 
of sleep that a vigorous child enjoys will un- 
doubtedly spend the bigger part of the night in 
sleep and will acquire exceptional vitality as a 
result. 

Bodily rest, even without sleep, is undoubtedly 
of great value for purposes of recuperation. To 
a certain extent such rest, especially if as- 
sociated with a state of very complete relaxation 
of the muscles, will make it possible to take less 
sleep without serious devitalizing results. The 
man or woman who suffers from insomnia should 
learn that he can recuperate to a considerable 
extent through simple physical relaxation with- 



SLEEP SUGGESTIONS 

out the unconsciousness of sleep. Undoubtedly 
the physical inactivity common among civilized 
races has much to do with their ability to keep 
late hours. But of course this involves more or 
less nerve strain. The brain does not get suffi- 
cient rest, and the loss of sleep involves such an 
expenditure of energy through the brain as to 
constitute a serious drain upon the nervous 
system. Even though rest for the body during 
consciousness is of certain value, it cannot go very 
far in taking the place of true sleep. To the 
higher centres of the brain and nervous system 
an opportunity must be given for the complete 
relaxation that comes only with the entire loss 
of consciousness. 

As I have already said, those who are lacking 
in vitality and who are trying to build strength 
need more sleep than those who are already 
strong. Especially those who find it difficult to 
sleep need additional nervous strength and should 
carefully observes rules that will promote sleep. 
One will often hear sufferers from insomnia com- 
plain that they never sleep ! They are convinced 
that night after night and week after week passes 
without their being able to close their eyes in 
slumber. They are deluded in every case, be- 
cause they could not maintain life for more than 
five or six days if this were true. The fact is 
that they drop off to sleep and then awaken with- 
out being conscious that they have been asleep. 
At the same time, in all such conditions, it is 

223 



VITALITY SUPREME 

necessary to improve the quality of sleep so that 
it will be truly refreshing. I have already re- 
ferred to the influence of good healthy muscular 
fatigue as a means of enabling one to sleep. 
Walking and out-of-door life will in almost every 
case make the nervous man or woman sleep like 
a child. One should not be too fatigued, but 
sufficiently so to thoroughly enjoy the sensation 
of lying down. One cannot truly enjoy sleep 
except when he has reached this condition of 
bodily fatigue. To induce this, I would recom- 
mend a walk in the evening before going to bed, 
covering several miles. Although walking for 
health should ordinarily be brisk enough to stimu- 
late breathing and arouse an active circulation, 
thus strengthening the internal organs, for the 
purpose of promoting drowsiness the last mile 
or two of the evening walk should preferably be 
very slow. Fast movements are stimulating to 
mind and nerves. Slow movements have a seda- 
tive effect. By walking very slowly as if one 
were tired the desired effect of fatigue is more 
satisfactorily secured. One imagines the need of 
rest under such conditions. 

The quality of the air is another important 
factor, though I need not dwell upon that here. 
The air you breathe during sleep should be es- 
pecially fresh and pure, particularly so because 
of the more shallow character of the breathing. 
If you are in a room, all the windows should be 
open as wide as possible. If you have a covered 



SLEEP SUGGESTIONS 

balcony or porch, or if you can avail yourself of 
a flat roof, it is always advisable to sleep out-of- 
doors. The increased vitality will more than re- 
pay you for your trouble. There is something 
about out-of-door sleeping that vitalizes, ener- 
gizes, and refreshes one to an unusual extent. 

Circulation is another important factor in 
sound sleep, especially for nervous persons. 
Many of those who complain of an inability to 
sleep suffer more or less from congestion of blood 
in the brain; also they complain of cold feet or 
cold hands and feet. In such instances, warm 
feet will often bring a solution of the problem. 
In some instances drinking a half cup of hot milk 
or hot water before going to bed will draw the 
blood from the brain and enable one to sleep. 
A hot foot bath before going to bed will do the 
same thing, or one may use a hot-water bag or 
hot flatiron wrapped up in flannels, or even a 
hot brick treated in the same way, to keep the 
feet warm when in bed. In extreme cases it 
might be advisable to apply cold packs to the 
head while applying heat to the feet or when 
taking the hot foot bath. 

Another measure of special value for nervous 
persons is a bath at the temperature of the body, 
to be taken for a half -hour before going to sleep. 
In cases of extreme excitement, anger or nervous- 
ness this bath is invaluable. Fill the tub with 
water at 96 degrees Fahrenheit or 98 degrees 
Fahrenheit. You can remain in this bath for 

16 225 



VITALITY SUPREME 

several hours without harm, for it is neither 
weakening nor stimulating. It has a soothing 
effect upon the nerves and is even valuable in 
preventing attacks of hysteria or other nervous 
difficulties. This particular bath is so effective 
in hospitals for the insane that it has frequently 
obviated the use of padded cells and straight 
jackets. It is just as effective for the nervous 
person who wishes to overcome the excitement 
that is preventing sleep. A half-hour bath 
should be sufficient for ordinary purposes. 

Another remedy of great value for soothing 
the nerves is the air bath. I have referred to 
this in another part of this volume, but it is ex- 
tremely valuable for quieting the nerves in cases 
of insomnia. If the room is comfortably warm, 
an air bath can be advantageously taken for half 
an hour before going to bed. 

One of the most valuable remedies for those 
suffering from sleeplessness is to lie in an air 
bath during the entire night. This idea can be 
carried out very easily by raising the bed cover- 
ing in such a way as to remove its weight from 
the body, thus providing what we might call a 
chamber of air in which to sleep. With the aid 
of a large safety-pin or a horse-blanket safety- 
pin, the bed clothing may be kept thus sus- 
pended. The safety-pin is pinned through all 
the coverings in the centre of the bed and 
then by means of a string passing through 
the safety-pin and running from the top of 

226 




Illustrating an idea for removing the weight of the cover= 
ings from the body while sleeping. A heavy cord is 
fastened to the foot and head of the bed and the covers 
are hung from the cord by the aid of a very large safety pin. 
This idea will enable one to sleep throughout the entire 
night in what might be termed an air bath. 



227 



VITALITY SUPREME 

the head of the bed to the top of the foot 
of the bed the bed covering can easily be 
raised to the desired height. The appearance of 
the bed is then somewhat like that of a small tent. 
One may not feel warm immediately after enter- 
ing, if the weather is cold, but if the covering is 
thick enough and the air is entirely excluded, a 
perfect air bath, warm and comfortable, can be 
enjoyed during the entire night. The head, of 
course, will keep its usual position outside of the 
covers. No underclothing or night clothing 
should be worn when attempting to carry out this 
idea. 

The problems associated with covering are of 
considerable importance. Many people are un- 
able to sleep because of cold feet and many are 
overheated by an excess of covering. It should 
not be necessary to bury one's self underneath a 
heavy load of covers in order to keep the feet 
warm. Use as little covering as possible and still 
maintain the bodily warmth. Eider-down bed 
covers are very valuable because of their light 
weight and great warmth-retaining qualities. 
Overheating during sleep produces restlessness 
and robs one of the sense of refreshment on awak- 
ening. The question of cold feet I have already 
dealt with. The difficulty, in most cases, is one of 
defective circulation before going to bed. If one 
will be sure that his feet are warm and his circula- 
tion good before retiring to bed he will invariably 
have no trouble of this kind, even during winter 

228 



SLEEP SUGGESTIONS 

time. I do not mean that one should be chilled 
by insufficient bedding, but I certainly would ad- 
vise as little covering as is compatible with a com- 
fortable degree of warmth. 

The feather beds, much used in Europe, are 
undersirable, as they are unsanitary and are too 
warm for nearly all seasons of the year. It is 
always best to sleep between clean linen sheets. 
For purposes of warmth, however, bear in mind 
that cotton is of very little value, whereas animal- 
product covers such as wool and down, or feath- 
ers, are exceptionally warm. Cotton comforters 
in cold weather are very heavy, but cold, whereas 
woolen blankets, wool-filled comforters or down- 
filled comforters are warm, but light. "A 
warmth without weight" should be the chief con- 
sideration in cold weather. And in using woolen 
coverings you can get sufficient warmth without 
much weight and with the very least quantity of 
covering. In summer use only a single woolen 
blanket or a light cotton coverlet over the sheet. 
When the nights are hot and sultry it would be 
well to use no covering of any kind. 

For warmth in winter special attention should 
be given to warm fabrics underneath the lower 
sheet as well as the coverings. One may become 
chilled from underneath if lying upon a thin 
mattress or an uncovered mattress. A wool- 
filled comforter, or double woolen blanket, placed 
over the mattress and under the sheet will con- 
tribute greatly to one's warmth. If the mat- 

229 



VITALITY SUPREME 

tress is of proper thickness one can be comfor- 
table with less covering and therefore less weight. 
However, I would suggest as a better plan the 
one that I have presented of sleeping in a virtual 
air bath the whole night through. 

The use of a pillow is necessary in nearly all 
cases. When one is sleeping on his back a pil- 
low is certainly an objectionable feature. It tips 
the head forward and is conducive to round 
shoulders. A pillow is of value when sleeping 
on the side or in the partial face-downward posi- 
tion, as indicated in the illustration. 

The accompanying illustration shows a special 
position that I can recommend for securing rest- 
ful sleep and for insuring deeper respiration. 
In this position you sleep with the body tipped 
forward partly upon the chest, and on the fore- 
arm, with one elbow just back of the body and 
hand under the waist. The knee of the upper 
leg will be drawn up somewhat. While this is 
a very comfortable position its chief advantage 
lies in the effect upon the respiration. It will 
be noted that in this position the organs lying 
below the diaphragm are placed in a suspended 
position, so to speak. The stomach and other 
organs by their own weight pull downward from 
the diaphragm, thus naturally allowing more 
space in the lungs, and particularly in the lower 
part of the lungs. Through the simple effect 
of gravitation, therefore, this position allows one 
to breathe a larger amount of air through the 

230 




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231 



VITALITY SUPREME 

entire night. One may turn from one side to the 
other in order to change the position, as it will be 
equally comfortable on right or left sides. In 
cases where there is weakness of the heart the 
left-side position can not be recommended if dis- 
comfort of any sort is noticed. 

One often hears a reference to beauty sleep 
and is often asked: "Is it really true that an 
hour of sleep before midnight is equal to two 
hours after midnight?" There are many writers 
who claim that the time when you sleep matters 
but little if you secure a sufficient amount of 
sleep. It is doubtful, however, if this view is ab- 
solutely correct. I am inclined to lean towards 
the old-fashioned view as to the good effect of 
early retiring on beauty development that is 
based on health building. 

In one sense, it is reasonable to conclude that 
an hour of sleep before midnight is worth more 
than an hour thereafter. I am satisfied that 
there is greater exhaustion of the body from late 
than from normal hours, and it is difficult to get 
the full benefit from sleep when going to bed 
after midnight. At least the nerve strain of ar- 
tificial light tends to produce a certain degree of 
vital depletion that one would not experience if 
his waking hours included only the daylight. 
Then again, there is probably some mysterious 
influence that we do not fully comprehend which 
makes sleep at night more restful than sleep dur- 
ing the daylight. Those who go to bed at mid- 
232 



SLEEP SUGGESTIONS 

night or thereafter use several hours of daylight 
in the early morning for sleeping. I realize that 
there are nocturnal animals and that the human 
race has developed nocturnal habits to a certain 
extent, but the human race and the animal life 
of the world generally have followed the habit 
through the ages of sleeping at night. Without 
doubt a revolutionary change in this habit has 
more or less effect upon the restful character of 
our sleep. Perhaps the mere question of light 
has much to do with it. Daylight is stimulating. 
Light has a chemical action and tends to stimu- 
late animal metabolism. Darkness, or the lack 
of light, tends to a restful condition. Without 
doubt this question of light has much to do with 
the supposed benefits of sleep before midnight. 
The old saying that "early to bed and early to 
rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise" may 
not hold true in the matter of wisdom and wealth 
in all cases, but there is no doubt it has much to 
do with the development of health and vitality. 



933 



CHAPTER XX 

Mind — The Master-force for Health or 

Disease 

WE hear of many miraculous achievements 
in the building of health and the cure of 
disease through mental influence. The 
mind is unquestionably a master-force. I will 
not go so far as to say it is limitless, for certainly 
a hungry man cannot imagine he is eating a din- 
ner and secure the same benefits that he would 
from the meal itself. Nor can a man who is 
passing away into the other world, through a def- 
inite vital defect, bring back life through mental 
force. 

But we should remember that many diseases 
are to a great extent imaginary. And some of 
those not actually imaginary may at least be 
brought about through fears that are the results 
of abnormal delusions. And where such dis- 
eases are combatted by mental forces of the right 
sort, a cure can be effected in many instances. 
In numerous cases, also, it is well to remember 
that the mental state is the actual cause of dis- 
ease. You become blue, hopeless and to a cer- 
tain extent helpless. You see nothing in the 

234 



MIND — MASTER-FORCE 

future. Life is dull. Ambition, enthusiasm, 
have all disappeared. It would not be at all 
difficult for this state of mind to bring about dis- 
ease in some form. 

Health, strength, vitality of the right sort, 
should radiate all the elements and forces asso- 
ciated with life's most valuable possessions. 
Happiness and health are close friends. It is 
very difficult to be gloomy and miserable if you 
are healthy. It is perhaps even more difficult 
to be healthy if you are gloomy and mentally 

ugly. 

Therefore it is a wise precaution to cultivate 
a hopeful spirit. If the day is gloomy, if the 
sun is obscured by clouds, then develop the sun- 
shine in your own spirit. Try to radiate good 
cheer. By seeking to cheer up others you will 
cheer yourself up,for always when we help others, 
we inevitably help ourselves, though this should 
not be our main purpose in the action. When 
we try to build up the characters, improve the 
morals and add to the mental and physical 
stability of others our efforts develop our own 
powers. Therefore, the best way to help your- 
self is to help others. 

We have a remarkable exemplification of the 
value of mental influence in what is known as 
Christian Science. Even the most prejudiced 
enemy of this cult will admit that many remark- 
able cures have been accomplished through the 
principles it advocates. These cures alone in- 

235 



VITALITY SUPREME 

dicate clearly that the mind is a dominating 
force that works for good or for evil. They 
prove that your thoughts are building up or tear- 
ing down your vital forces ; that to a certain ex- 
tent "thoughts are things," that good thoughts 
are a real tangible influence for developing men- 
tal or physical force, and that bad thoughts have 
an opposite influence. It is well for each one 
of us to determine clearly whether the thoughts 
that fill our minds each day are constructive or 
destructive in nature. 

Your thoughts can actually destroy you. 
They can kill you as unerringly as a bullet fired 
from a rifle. Keep this fact very definitely be- 
fore you, and try to make your thoughts each 
day the means of adding to your life forces. 
There are many emotions that are harbored on 
occasions, which are devitalizing and destructive. 

We are all, to a certain extent, slaves of habit, 
whether good or bad. For instance, there is the 
worrying habit, for worry is really a habit. 
Therefore, it is a splendid plan to become slaves of 
good habits. One who has acquired the chronic 
habit of worrying needs a mental antiseptic. 
Worry never benefited anyone; it has brought 
thousands to an untimely grave. To give pro- 
longed and grave thought to a problem that may 
come into your life, with the view of forming an 
intelligent conclusion, should not be called worry, 
but anxiety. There is a very great difference 
between worry and concentrated study of a vex- 

236 






MIND — MASTER-FORCE 

ing problem. The characteristic of worry is 
a tendency to brood anxiously over fancied 
troubles. The typical worrying mind will take 
mere trifles and magnify them until they become 
monumental difficulties. Many acquire the habit 
of going over and over again, and still again, the 
various unpleasant experiences which they have 
passed through during life. This inclination is 
baneful in its influence. To such persons I 
would say, eliminate the past. Try the forget- 
ting habit, cultivate health and along with it good 
cheer. Make your mind a blank so far as the 
past is concerned, and fill it with uplifting 
thoughts for the present and the future. Worry 
is a mental poison, the toxic element produced 
in the mind by retention of waste matter, 
thoughts of the dead past that should have been 
eliminated with the passing of out-worn periods 
of existence. 

Self-pity is another evil. It is closely allied 
to worry. There are many who cultivate a men- 
tal attitude of this sort because of the sorrows 
through which they have passed. Such individ- 
uals find their chief delight in portraying, in 
vivid details, the terrific sufferings which they 
have had to endure. No one has suffered quite 
so much as they have. They harrow their friends 
by going over frequently and persistently the 
long, gruesome details of their "awful" past. 
This habit is destructive to an extreme degree. 
Why harbor past experiences that only bring sor- 

237 



VITALITY SUPREME 

rows to mind? Why add to the bitterness of 
your daily life by dragging up the lamentable 
past? Why pass along to your friends and ac- 
quaintances pain, sorrow and gloom? Each 
human entity is a radiating power. You have 
the capacity of passing around pain or happi- 
ness. As a rule, when you ask a friend to "have 
something with you" your offer is supposed to 
bring good cheer. You surely would not ask 
a friend to have pain with you, or share with you 
the gall of bitter experiences through which you 
have lived. Therefore, if you are the victim of 
self-pity and if your own past sufferings discolor 
your every pleasant thought, at least do not taint 
the minds of your friends. At least keep your 
direful broodings to yourself if you are deter- 
mined to retain them. It is, however, far wiser 
and manlier to avoid such thoughts, in which 
case your memory of these torturing experiences 
will gradually fade away. Live in the future 
and forget the past. The man or woman who 
lives in the future, and for the future, will in- 
variably be optimistic and cheerful. It is a good 
habit to cultivate. 

Then there is a mental poison called anger. 
Avoid it as you would a venomous snake. It 
has indeed been said by scientists that the venom 
of the snake is developed through anger, induced 
by impure circulation, for in reptiles the pure 
arterial blood mixes in the imperfectly formed 
heart with the impure venous blood. Scientists 

238 



MIND — MASTER-FORCE 

have also stated that anger produces a poison in 
the perspiration that emanates from the human 
body. This may or may not be true, but there 
is no question, however, about anger being a men- 
tal poison. It represents a tremendous waste of 
nervous energy. To be sure, there may be oc- 
casions when anger is justified, when it is actualfy 
desirable, but such occasions are rare. Learn to 
master such emotions. Get control of your feel- 
ings and mental states. Avoid useless anger de- 
finitely and finally. It usually indicates a lack 
of mental control, and should be recognized as 
a destructive force to be carefully avoided. 

Hate is, to a certain extent, synonymous with 
anger. One may call it anger in a chronic form. 
Hate and the personal enmities associated with 
it develop emotions and characteristics that un- 
questionably have a destructive influence. Why 
hate anybody? Why waste your nervous ener- 
gies by trying to "get even" with a fancied 
enemy? A tremendous amount of human energy 
is wasted in this manner. You may be impressed 
with the idea that someone has wronged you. 
You lie awake at night forming plans for "get- 
ting even." Every mental effort spent in this 
direction is not only destructive to body, mind 
and character, but it represents a waste of nerv- 
ous energy. One's life should be so filled with 
useful activities that no time will be left for a 
waste of this sort. Show me a man who spends 
his time and efforts trying to "get even" with his 

239 



VITALITY SUPREME 

supposed enemies, and I will show you a shining 
example of failure. No man can succeed who 
wastes his nervous forces in this manner. 

Then there is the poison of avarice. Financial 
gain seems to be the one end and aim of many 
ambitious men. They struggle day after day 
and year after year in the whirlpool of perverted 
enthusiasm, looking continuously for wealth and 
still more wealth. But there is something more 
in life than money. Health, for instance, is 
worth a thousand times, and self-respect should 
be rated a million times, more than money. Do 
not allow a struggle of this sort to enslave you. 
Do not allow pursuits of any sort to interfere 
with the development and maintenance of those 
powers that indicate superior manhood and 
womanhood. 

It is also well to avoid the complaining and 
critical spirit. You will find frequent refer- 
ences in the Good Book to what might be termed 
the thankful spirit. It commands us to be thank- 
ful for what we have received. And whether or 
not the tenets of theology appeal to you, the 
thought presented is of the greatest value. If 
you can be thrilled each day with gladness be- 
cause of the remembrance of pleasures that you 
have enjoyed the previous day the mental in- 
fluence will be invaluable. Being thankful for 
what you have received does not necessarily in- 
dicate that you should not strive for more and 
better things. Dissatisfaction or discontent is 

240 



MIND — MASTER-FORCE 

not always necessary to spur one on to added 
powers and responsibilities. Avoid the com- 
plaining spirit, which will add gloom and despair 
to your life, no matter what may be your environ- 
ment. Be thankful for the favors and oppor- 
tunities that may have come to you, be they large 
or small, and your mental attitude in this respect 
will represent a potent health-building influence. 
Envy is another evil it will be well to avoid, 
largely because it is inspired by selfish attributes. 
Do not envy others the joy of possessions that 
may be theirs. Happiness, after all, is worth 
but little if it comes unearned. Life's greatest 
pleasures are secured only through intelligent 
and diligent efforts. They come as the results 
of hard work. A man who inherits great wealth 
secures little or no benefit from it. It adds but 
little to his pleasure in life, for the greatest pos- 
sible happiness comes from the pursuit rather 
than the attainment of an object. More happi- 
ness comes from the pursuit of wealth or pleasure 
than from its actual attainment. Let the attain- 
ment of truth be your aim. Truth is magnifi- 
cent. It is tremendously weighted with power. 
Whatever your ambitions or hopes in life may 
be, seek for the truth. In some cases the road 
that leads to this goal may be devious and hard to 
follow. Dangers of all sorts may beset you, as 
you struggle along the rugged pathway that 
leads to truth, but the rewards will amply repay 
you for every effort. 

17 241 



VITALITY SUPREME 

Don't be a leaner. Try to stand alone. Be 
yourself. Bring out your own personal charac- 
teristics, do not be a stereotype, a parrot, a copy. 
Let others live their own lives, but you see to 
it that you live yours. Many of our public 
schools are turning out factory-made human be- 
ings, each pupil, as far as possible, a duplicate of 
every other. They are educational brick factories 
turning out their products stamped exactly alike. 
Individuality is crushed out. Now the child is 
not so much like clay to be moulded into any 
form, as it is like a precious crystal, that must 
be shaped with regard to its original nature. 
Each human soul is an uncut diamond. It often 
has within it capacities and powers which, if 
developed, might achieve results which we now 
expect only from exceptional human beings. 
Therefore, be yourself. Hold up your head, 
throw back your shoulders; remember that the 
earth and all that is thereon belongs to you. 
Anyway, it is well to be inspired by such a 
thought. It is the proper mental attitude. 
Life is a hard battle, and the rewards are to 
the strong and courageous. Be inspired by 
the dominating determination to get all there is 
in your life. Develop all your capacities and 
powers to their utmost limit, and then you can 
rest assured, that every thought that stirs your 
soul will be upbuilding rather than destructive in 
nature. 



242 



\ 



CHAPTER XXI 

The Laugh Cure 

THE physiological effects of the mechanical 
and mental processes involved in laughing 
are not generally understood and appreci- 
ated. The "laugh cure" is a reality, for it is a 
remedy of very great value. Many a man, 
placed in a trying situation, would have been 
saved from tragical consequences if he could have 
found some means of arousing the emotions ex- 
pressed in a good hearty laugh. 

Naturally there may be times in life when a 
laugh is utterly impossible, or may seem so. 
Nevertheless the inclination to stimulate the emo- 
tions associated with laughter and good humor 
should be encouraged at every opportunity. 
There is no question that laughter has valuable 
vitalizing qualities. It undoubtedly adds to 
one's stamina. It gives one a hopeful spirit. 
It leads one to look upon the bright side of life. 
When you can laugh, the sun is shining regard- 
less of how many clouds obscure the sky. No 
matter what other efforts you may be making to 
build strength and vitality, do not allow the se- 
rious side of life to occupy you continuously. 

243 



VITALITY SUPREME 

Each day should have its laughing time, or its 
many laughing times. It is barely possible, of 
course, that laughing, like any other emotional 
expression, would become tiresome if overdone, 
but I am inclined to doubt the possibility of 
harmful effect under any circumstances. "All 
work and no play makes Jack a dull boy," and 
the relaxation and recuperation that go with 
laughing should be sought with a certain amount 
of regularity. If you cannot find recreation of 
this kind through any other source, then attend a 
"funny show." Go to a theatre where merri- 
ment is supreme. On such occasions at least I 
would avoid tragedies or dramas that are inclined 
too much toward the sorrowful side of life. Per- 
sonally, I have never had much use for plays of 
this sort. There are enough serious experiences 
in life without searching for recreation in the 
sorrows of others, which are, after all, only the 
expression of the imagination of some brooding 
dramatist. Some abnormal characters find 
pleasure in misery. I have heard some women 
say that "they enjoyed a good cry so much," 
and that "crying dramas were just grand." But 
I have been unable to discover anything rational 
in such sentiments. 

I may say, however, that in a sense there is a 
certain basis for this sentiment under certain cir- 
cumstances. For crying, like laughter, has the 
physiological effect of producing a relaxation of 
tense nerves. There is a fundamental basis for 



THE LAUGH CURE 




A smile that is worth while. Try this 
smile as a means of dispelling the "blues." 
You are sure to admit the superiority of 
the suggestion. 

crying, but this applies only to exceptional in- 
stances in which there is too much nervous ten- 
sion. When nerves are strained to the "break- 
ing point," crying will bring about a state of re- 
laxation, and one will feel better. If there are 
times of strain when laughter is utterly impos- 

245 



VITALITY SUPREME 

sible, then crying might even be beneficial. The 
effect on the breathing is very much the same in 
both cases, and there is a curious similarity in the 
action of the diaphragm and the mechanical 
character of the expulsion of the breath. Look- 
ing at a person from behind, one cannot tell 
whether he is laughing or crying. Both produce 





"The smile that won't come off." It is 
worth practicing to get this sort of smile. 
Try it in your mirror. 

246 



THE LAUGH CURE 

relaxation of the nerves, both increase the ac- 
tivity of the lungs, and both involve a form of 
gymnastics for the diaphragm and entire breath- 
ing apparatus. 

But, while crying offers relief from extreme 
tension or grief, it does not justify crying for 
the so-called pleasure derived from it. Laughter 
is a pleasure, in itself, as well as a symptom of 
merriment. It is the expression of keen, bound- 
ing joy. It is an emotive manifestation that 
stirs one's whole nature and vitalizes every part 
of the body. There is a sound, physiological 
basis for amusements that make us laugh. Tak- 
ing the world over, incalculable sums of money 
are spent for amusements that make us laugh, 
and it is money well spent. It is a sound and 
healthy instinct that leads the tired business man 
or the tired laborer to seek for mirth-provoking 
recreations. Professional "funny men" like 
John Bunny and Charles Chaplin undoubtedly 
add to the health of the human race, and they 
add to the vitality of those in whom they stimu- 
late laughter. I feel sorry for anyone who has 
lost the power to laugh freely and heartily. 
When a man has brooded so much over the sor- 
rows and miseries of life that he can no longer 
laugh, his condition is indeed serious. 

"Laugh and the world laughs with you; weep 
and you weep alone," is one of the truest things 
that Ella Wheeler Wilcox ever said. For a 
laugh that is spontaneous and heartfelt is truly 

247 



VITALITY SUPREME 

contagious, and in your little world, the circle 
of your friends, laughing brings a rich reward in 
increasing your own happiness as well as theirs. 

The bodily expression and mechanical efforts 
that go with happiness will often induce the feel- 
ings and emotions associated therewith. To 
prove the accuracy of this statement, some morn- 
ing when you are feeling especially gloomy and 
unpleasant, look into your mirror and go through 
the process of trying to make yourself smile. 
Screw up your features in such a manner as to 
force the required contractions of the facial 
muscles. If you continue your efforts long 
enough you will surely be rewarded by a real 
smile, and with all the sense of good cheer that 
a smile will bring. You will make the surpris- 
ing discovery that it is no longer an effort, for 
you will smile spontaneously. 

To go even further, try the laugh cure in the 
following manner. First of all assume a laugh- 
ing position, in order to laugh properly and to 
secure the best results. Stand with feet far 
apart, and with the knees slightly bent. Now 
bring the palms of both hands down and "slap" 
them vigorously on the legs just above the knees, 
and then swing your bent arms overhead, mak- 
ing a noise as nearly as possible like laughing. 
Yes, you are quite right, it will sound very much 
like a cold stage laugh at first, and you will have 
to force it, but as you go on with the experiment 
it will gradually become more natural. Con- 

248 




to produce this result if 



A mechanica 
means of producing 
laughter. Position in 
illustration at the 
left shows the begin= 
ning of this process. Stand with the feet wide 
apart and then bring the hands down with a 
vigorous slap just above the knees as shown in 
the central photograph. Now bring the bent 
arms upward and outward at the sides, as shown 
in the upper right=hand illustration, and proceed 
to make a noise as nearly like a laugh as pos= 
sible. A repetition of this movement will soon 
get you in a "laughing humor." It is guaranteed 
you have an audience of one or more. 

249 



y 



VITALITY SUPREME 

tinue this long enough and I defy anyone to 
differentiate the emotions aroused from those as- 
sociated with a real, spontaneous laugh. 

In fact, if you have company while you are 
going through this process, I will guarantee that 
they will soon be "guffawing" loudly and vio- 
lently. This experiment is an excellent one 
to try on a company that is especially dull and 
in need of something unusual to awaken the 
spirit of good cheer. 



250 



CHAPTER XXII 

Singing — The Great Tonic 

SINGING was designed by the Creator as a 
means of giving vent to joyous emotions. 
When one is overflowing with happiness it 
is entirely natural for him to break forth into 
song. Therefore when you sing the bodily 
mechanical efforts associated therewith are natu- 
rally inclined to arouse the mental attitude of 
joy, delight and allied emotions. I have already 
explained the tremendous value of certain bodily 
positions and mechanical efforts as a means of 
influencing the mental attitude. If singing is 
naturally the expression of joy, then by forcing 
oneself to sing when mentally downcast one en- 
courages, and at times actually produces, happi- 
ness and good cheer. 

But it is not only for its influence upon the 
mind that singing is valuable. It is a physi- 
cal exercise requiring considerable effort. It 
wakes up the diaphragm. It promotes active 
circulation. It improves digestion. Therefore 
it has a double value for stimulating the physical 
as well as the mental functions. I would by all 
means encourage every inclination towards physi- 
cal efforts of this sort. 

251 



VITALITY SUPREME 

Remember that the cultivation of the singing 
voice especially requires the expansion of the 
lungs. It means that breathing exercises of un- 
usual value will be practised diligently and per- 
sistently on every occasion that you exercise your 
vocal powers. It not only affects the lungs but 
the action of the diaphragm involved, and serves 
to massage, stimulate and invigorate the internal 
organs lying underneath. There is no need to 
dilate upon the value of exercise of this sort, for 
I have referred to this aspect of the question in 
a previous chapter. 

If you have no special knowledge or training 
in the use of the singing voice, then simply do 
your best. Sing at every opportunity. If there 
is no music in your voice do not allow this to dis- 
courage you. Follow out the idea that singing 
is an exercise pure and simple. Let your friends 
understand that you are not impressed with your 
vocal ability, but that it is simply a form of ex- 
ercise you take with religious regularity. Nat- 
urally if you can secure the opportunities asso- 
ciated with a musical education you are to be con- 
gratulated, and musical training largely devoted 
to vocal culture is far more valuable in its in- 
fluence upon physical and mental powers than 
when limited to instrumental work. 

Even apart from singing a good voice repre- 
sents capital of great value. Any efforts that 
you make with a view to developing the singing 
voice will improve the speaking voice to a similar 

252 



THE GREAT TONIC 

degree. Effective speakers do not always have 
musical voices, but all good singers possess good 
speaking voices. Therefore the work that you 
may do with a view to improving your singing 
voice will surely add to your vocal capital. 

Furthermore, all the time spent in the develop- 
ment of your voice should be looked upon as a 
recreation. If you can make voice culture a 
hobby, so much the better. There is really no 
better means of taking one "away from oneself." 
You will find no more effective means of diver- 
sion from exhausting mental responsibilities, 
since you cannot think of something else while 
devoting your entire attention to singing. 

Your mental attitude makes considerable 
difference in the results. Singing, as I have pre- 
viously explained, is an expression of joy. To 
sing properly you should really be influenced by 
joyous emotions, and, though your musical efforts 
may be forced and mechanical in the beginning, 
you will usually find that the delight ordinarily 
associated with vocal expression will soon appear 
as a result of the physical and mechanical efforts 
involved in the training of the voice. 

Naturally it is advisable to use the singing 
voice in the most advantageous manner, if pos- 
sible, and it would therefore be well to secure the 
advice of competent instructors if you can, or at 
least to gain what helpful information there is 
in books on the subject. It is, of course, impos- 
sible to give any detailed advice in this short 

253 



VITALITY SUPREME 

chapter, but I may say that I am engaged in the 
preparation of a book on vocal culture which will 
deal with the subject in an unusually practical 
manner. Voice culture, in many instances, is a 
mysterious and intricate study that even many 
of its teachers do not seem to understand in 
every detail. It is a notorious fact that many 
so-called vocal instructors, including some of the 
highest-priced members of the profession, fre- 
quently ruin magnificent voices by wrong 
methods of instruction. It is a simple matter 
to build up a good voice, but it is also a simple 
matter to ruin one by unnatural methods of train- 
ing. 

It is therefore well to learn to use the voice 
in a strictly natural manner, and without any 
straining or forcing of the tone. For instance, 
it is advisable to avoid any constriction of the 
muscles of the throat ; that is to say, there should 
be no tension in the throat when singing. One 
should learn how to "place" the voice. Re- 
sonance is all-important. 

Many really good teachers differ as to the 
proper methods of using the voice. Although 
there may be a reasonable excuse for a difference 
on some of the minor details of voice culture, yet 
there are certain fundamental principles upon 
which there should be a definite agreement, and 
it is these basic principles which will be presented 
in the book to which I have just referred. 

At all events, whether or not you desire to take 

254 



THE GREAT TONIC 

up vocal culture in a serious way, at least you 
should make it a point to sing at every oppor- 
tunity. Break forth into song whenever the 
slightest excuse appears. If your voice is harsh, 
unpleasant and reminds your friends of a car- 
penter filing a saw, do not be discouraged. 
Every vocal artist had to make a beginning. No 
matter how bad your efforts may be you can 
probably recall voices that are still worse. Re- 
member also that all voices improve with train- 
ing. It is a matter of common agreement among 
instructors that anyone who possesses a speak- 
ing voice can also learn to sing. Anyway, at 
the worst, your hours of practice can be so ar- 
ranged as to avoid annoying other people, or you 
can adopt a method that I have often used. For 
instance, when you are on a train, or in a busy 
centre of the city in which there is a combination 
of noises which will drown your own voice, you 
can then sing or hum to your heart's content 
without annoying others. Remember that hum- 
ming, if you carry it out with sufficient breath to 
produce real resonance, is practically as good 
as singing for the training of the voice. 

There is one particular point of special value, 
and that is the advantage of singing when the 
stomach is empty. Vocal artists commonly re- 
fuse to sing immediately after eating. Your 
voice is free and full and clear when the stomach 
is empty. A few minutes of singing before each 
meal would enable one to digest his food far more 

255 



VITALITY SUPREME 

satisfactorily. It would also establish the mental 
attitude best suited to perfect digestion. 

Whenever you find responsibilities crowding 
upon you beyond your power to bear them, or 
when you realize that your mental attitude is 
sour, crabbed and pessimistic, then is the time to 
break forth into song. Nothing will bring about 
a pleasing change more quickly. Hum a tune. 
Sing some popular song. Put your soul into 
your efforts as much as possible, and you will 
literally be amazed at the value of this suggestion. 



256 



CHAPTER XXIII 

The Daily Regimen 

FOLLOWING is a brief summary of the 
suggestions in this volume which may be 
incorporated in the daily regimen: — 

Rise from six to eight o'clock. Drink a cup 
of hot or cold water immediately upon arising. 

Take the thyroid-stimulating exercises. Fol- 
low by spine-strengthening movements in com- 
bination with the hot-water-drinking. 

Following these exercises a dry friction bath 
may be taken, if desired; also a cold bath. The 
latter is not necessary to the same extent while 
following the hot-water-drinking regimen as 
under ordinary circumstances. The bath may 
be varied from time to time by taking a cold sitz 
bath instead of a complete bath. 

Refore breakfast indulge in a good laugh or 
a little singing. 

Eat a light breakfast — preferably consisting 
chiefly of acid fruits, such as oranges, apples, 
pears, grapefruit, grapes, etc. 

Throughout the day while following your 
daily duties remember the suggestions in refer- 
ence to proper position. Make a continuous 

18 257 



VITALITY SUPREME 

and never-ending fight to keep a straight spine. 
Hold the chin in, down and backward, with spine 
erect as nearly as possible, whether sitting or 
standing. 

Be hopeful, be cheerful, but cultivate the fight- 
ing spirit. You cannot have too much will 
power, determination. 

Eat your first hearty meal between twelve and 
two o'clock, depending upon the time at which 
you had breakfast. From five to six hours 
should elapse between meals to insure perfect di- 
gestion. Masticate thoroughly. Enjoy your 
food as much as possible. Do not eat without a 
keen appetite. 

Try to take a walk some time during the day. 
Remember during this walk to practice the 
thyroid-stimulating exercise — chin inward, down- 
ward and backward while holding a deep full 
breath, with the abdomen expanded. 

Do not forget the necessity of using liquids 
freely. Have water close at hand so that your 
thirst can easily be satisfied. 

Some time during the day, if possible, take 
some form of outdoor exercise which will compel 
deep full breathing similar to that induced by 
running. 

Try to get a good laugh or do a little singing 
before your evening meal. 

Your evening meal should be taken between 
six and eight o'clock, depending upon the time 
of breakfast and lunch. Do not forget my sug- 

258 



THE DAILY REGIMEN 

gestion for closing the meal with a little acid 
fruit. A few spinal exercises, a walk or a short 
run before retiring can be highly recommended. 

During the evening, if convenient, take an air 
bath. 

Take a combination sun bath and air bath in 
the morning or at any time during the day that 
is convenient. If you cannot take a regular sun 
bath wear light-colored clothing and walk on the 
sunny side of the street when outdoors to get the 
sun's rays through your clothing. 

Take a hot soap-and-water bath once or twice 
a week. 

Retire early enough to awake thoroughly re- 
freshed at proper rising time without the warn- 
ing of an alarm clock. 



THE END 



259 



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©tt> Mqc 

Its Cause and Prevention 

By SANFORD BENNETT 

THE MAN WHO GEEW YOUNG AT SEVENTY 



Here's a truly remarkable book by a truly 
remarkable man. Sanford Bennett has now 
passed his seventy-second milestone and has 
actually grown younger day by day and year by 
year. He has unquestionably discovered the se- 
cret of overcoming the ravages of age. 

Twenty years ago — at fifty — Sanford Bennett 
looked like an old man. He determined to 
thwart the ravages of ill health and advancing 
years, and after much study and experiment, 
perfected a regimen which made a new man of 
him. 

Sanford Bennett sets forth many facts never 
hitherto published anent the cause and preven- 
tion of old age. The work contains more than 
four hundred pages of especially legible text 
matter, embellished with numerous illustrations 
and decorated by colored plates. It is truly a 
remarkable contribution to health-building litera- 
ture and is especially valuable because it has 
been written in a practical manner by a prac- 
tical man — Sanford Bennett's statements in this 
volume are based on experience and not on 
theory. 

Some of the Topics covered: 

Old Age, Its Cause and Prevention, Exercising 
in Bed, The Secret of Good Digestion, Dyspepsia, 
How I Strengthened My Eyes, The Liver, Rheu- 
matism, Varicose "Veins, Various Methods Pro- 
posed to Defer Old Age, The Duration of Human 
Life, The Hair, The Reduction of an Obese Ab- 
domen, The Rejuvenation of the Face, Throat 
and Neck, The Skin, and Many Other Chapters. 

This splendid work — of interest to every man 
and woman, young or old — has been printed and 
bound in a manner entirely in keeping with its 
character. The covers, of Vellum De Luxe cloth, 
are embellished with a multi-colored portrait of 
Sanford Bennett at Seventy-two. The book is 
regularly sold at $1.25 

REMIT 25 CENTS EXTRA TO COVER POSTAGE AND 
PACKING ON BOOK. 

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